From NaPoWriMo 2025: And now, here’s an early-bird prompt for those of you who want to write a poem, whether it’s April or not – and for those of you for whom it’s April already, even as poets in other places around the world are still in March.
Maybe one of the most common subjects in art is a portrait – a painting of one, singular person. Portrait poems are also very common. To get a sense of the breadth of style and form that these poems can take, take a look at Anni Liu’s prose poem, “Portrait Of,” John Yau’s, “Portrait,” and Karl Kirchwey’s “The Red Portrait.” Now try penning a portrait poem of your own. It can be a self-portrait, a portrait of someone well known to you, or even a poem inspired by an actual painted portrait. (If you’re looking for one to inspire you, why not check out the online collection of the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery?)
Portrait of M.
She wears the world like a faded coat,
edges frayed from years of laughter,
but still, in the pockets, there’s warmth.
Her hands move like rivers—slow, sure,
the palm open to let secrets drift through.
Her eyes catch the light sideways,
like she’s not sure if she wants to be seen—
but when she does look, it’s all there,
a quiet honesty that makes the air feel safe.
Sometimes, she hums while peeling apples,
and I wonder how the sound of it
never quite escapes, lingers between us
like a memory we haven’t yet named.
- Oizys.
