So I learned the interesting term ekphrastic by way of Ms Abby, and a random ol' memory occurred to me. Probably one of the first poems I ever wrote, way back when in...it would have had to have been seventh grade, was in this strange sort of 'gifted' program which really seemed an excuse to goof off for a period. Nonetheless, we made solid efforts in creative writing, and I remember us coming up with some good stuff; that is, my idyllic seventh grade memories say so, anyway, I'm sure it was complete crap. Anyway, one day I wrote what I considered to be my magnum opus at the time, a long, bardic kind of poem about a slaves in a fantasy novel I was reading. The teacher thought it interesting and asked whether it was about the Underground Railroad or somesuch. When I explained the actual subject matter to the teacher, he quickly dismissed my poem as anything noteworthy; obviously, the harsh travails of the characters I wrote of weren't much, but in my mind, hey, at least I knew about that - should I have been attempting writing about real experiences of people long dead that I knew I'd never truly understand?

Either way, in your face, teacher of yore! This is me writing 'ekphrastic' on your forehead. Figuratively speaking.