Christina Hennemann is the author of the poetry collection Birthmark (Shearsman, 2025) and three poetry pamphlets. Her awards include the Cerasus Poetry Prize, the Luain Press Poetry Prize, an Agility Award from Arts Council Ireland, a Mayo Artist Bursary, a Diana Woods Memorial Award in Creative Nonfiction, and the shared Ireland Freedom to Write Award supported by the John Hewitt Society and Irish PEN. Her work has appeared in Poetry Ireland, Magma, Poetry Wales, The Irish Independent, Lunch Ticket, and elsewhere.
Start Date: 6th May, 2026
Duration: 6 Weeks
Price: €190
3 places remaining
Ekphrastic Poetry & Persona Poems to Explore New Perspectives
This 6-week workshop explores the possibilities of responding to art through ekphrastic poetry as well as taking on a different speaking voice in poetry through the persona poem.
In the first part of the workshop, ekphrastic poems and persona poems are introduced theoretically and we will look at examples. In the second session on each mode, we will write ekphrastic poetry and persona poems with the help of prompts and writing exercises. Lastly, we will combine both modes of ekphrasis and persona poems. You will receive short, preparational exercises during theory weeks and longer, more complex writing prompts during practice weeks, ensuring that your writing process is smooth and consistent.
Course Outline:
Week 1: Theory
Defining ekphrastic poetry and close-reading of examples.
Week 2: Practice
Writing exercises for ekphrastic poems.
Week 3: Theory
Defining persona poems and close-reading of examples.
Week 4: Practice
Writing exercises for persona poems.
Week 5: Theory
Combining both modes and close-reading of examples.
Week 6: Practice
Writing exercises to combine both modes.