Ann Giard-Chase: “The title of this poem, ‘Encephalon,’ denotes the upper part of the central nervous system that resides inside the human skull. When I graduated from college years ago, I worked as a registered EEG (electroencephalography) technologist in the neurology department of a major hospital. Patients of all ages and disease states came and went, presenting with a variety of symptoms to be analyzed by attaching electrodes to the patient’s head and recording their brain’s electrical activity. Based on this data, neurologists were able to detect certain brain abnormalities since brain waves change as a function of disease states. Being young myself, I was especially saddened when a young woman whose EEG I conducted was diagnosed with a brain tumor. I hadn’t dealt with early death or the potential for early death at this time in my life, and it impacted me greatly, and I never forgot her.”
Ekphrastic Challenge, August 2017: Artist’s Choice
Image: “Street Folks” by Jennifer O’Neill Pickering. “Trajectory” was written by Ann Giard-Chase for Rattle’s Ekphrastic Challenge, August 2017, and selected as the Artist’s Choice.
Comment from the artist, Jennifer O’Neill Pickering, on this selection: “Many of the poems reflected the visual narrative of my pastel, but what I particularly liked about ‘Trajectory’ was the positive outcome for one of the characters. This left me feeling hopeful. I think we can use a bit of hope now.”
Photograph: “Into the Mystic” by Robert Dash. “Invisible” was written by Ann Giard-Chase for Rattle’s Ekphrastic Challenge, April 2016, and selected by Dash as the Artist’s Choice winner.
Comment from the artist, Robert Dash, on his selection: “After reading all of the wonderful poems over several times, and letting them sift through my days, I’ve chosen the poem ‘Invisible’ by Ann Giard-Chase. ‘Invisible’ because it has a sense of eternity, of blending with the Great Mystery. The centerpiece—’Listen! Can you hear the stars?/ They speak of a light you cannot see,/ waves that won’t lie still/ but swirl and flail like fish/ in a net, like wings or sails/ caught in an invisible rolling sea’—is a joyous celebration of the wild miracle that is existence. The poet welcomes grief into her lines, but I feel her fierce love for life, and all these elements echo what my photograph means to me. Thank you for the opportunity to be part of this inspiring process, and thank you to all of the poets who sent their fascinating work!” (website)
Ekphrastic Challenge, August 2015: Artist’s Choice
Image by Howard R. Debs. Used by permission, Frederick County Division of Parks and Recreation. “Ice House” was written by Ann Giard-Chase for Rattle’s Ekphrastic Challenge, August 2015, and selected by Debs as the Artist’s Choice winner.
Comment from the artist, Howard R. Debs, on his selection: “For me this poem is the one that best evokes the spirit of the pictorial presented; it is technically well written, the poetics, construction, language usage, literary devices, etc. all support the narrative which stretches the ‘canvas’ of the visual to rightfully claim the designation, contemporary ekphrastic poem. For those interested, in my just published article, you can read more about the merit of contemporary ekphrasis, the ‘how to’ aspects for those unacquainted with or just starting to work in this genre, as well as consider my apologia putting forth an argument for multi-media in the internet age. Besides Ann’s poem, without being modest, another good example of the ‘new’ ekphrasis I champion may be found in a published essay of mine which concludes with an ekphrastic poem trilogy. Have a look, then ‘challenge’ yourself to try your own hand at this art form by participating in this forum.”