As the photos mentioned in the video may be distressing for some viewers, the images are shared separately. You can choose to view them here:
The poem Dream is accompanied by an image of a threaded needle passing through a piercing hole in the belly button.
The Thread poem is accompanied by an image of a stitched wound at a wrist.
Explore the work of Hanna Komar, a Belarusian poet who combines poetry with images to create powerful, place-based writing. In projects like Unprotected, she pairs poems with photographs by Ksenia Svirid taken on location, capturing lived experiences and political realities through both text and image.
Your Task (30 minutes)
- Choose a topic and a picture (5 min). Think of a theme, feeling, or experience you want to explore.
- Find an image from your personal archives that connects to this topic (5 min). Study the image in detail—notice textures, emotions, memories, and associations it brings up.
- Write (20 min). Use the image as inspiration. You can describe it directly, use it as a metaphor, or let it guide the mood and meaning of your poem.
Reflection
- Does the image create distance, or does it bring you closer to the feeling you’re expressing?