English followed by une version en français y una versión en español. At the end there’s a brief note, in English, regarding my photos, celebrity and children.

Ekphrastic poetry has come to be defined as poems written about works of art; however, in ancient Greece, the term ekphrasis was applied to the skill of describing a thing with vivid detail.

Father and son, ekphrastic poetry

The younger man knew what was wanted in a selfie;

The older man was half bemused, half doubtful

Of the activity, the technology, himself.

The younger man, who was good-looking besides

Grinned at the camera, and the older man tried

A spreading of the lips.

For his son, he wanted to be up to the task

And to learn something about it.

With a little tap on the screen,

The son’s work was done.

Français

Père et fils, poésie ekphrastique

Le jeune homme savait ce qu’on attendait d’un selfie,

Le plus âgé était partagé entre perplexité et scepticisme

À propos de l’activité, de la technologie, de lui-même.

Le jeune homme, qui était d’ailleurs beau,

Souriait à la caméra, et le plus âgé essaya

D’esquisser un sourire.

Pour son fils, il voulait être à la hauteur

Et apprendre quelque chose.

D’une simple tapotée sur l’écran,

Le travail du fils s’est achevé.

Español

Padre e hijo, poesía ecfrástica

El joven sabía lo que se esperaba de una selfie.

El mayor se encontraba entre desconcertado y escéptico

respecto a la actividad, la tecnología y él mismo.

El joven, que además era guapo,

sonrió a la cámara, y el mayor intentó

esbozar una sonrisa.

Para su hijo, él quería ponerse a la altura

y aprender algo.

Con un pequeño toque en la pantalla,

el trabajo del hijo estaba terminado.

regarding my photos, celebrity and children

This could be the place to note as well that the Paris exhibit of my photographs—au Bistrot Des Campagnes, 6 rue Leopold Robert, à Montparnasse—continues to attract diners, viewers and photographers. This has led me to joke that I am hard at work fending off celebrity, and this for my son’s sake above all!

Jokes aside, I am one of those who believes “famous parents” is a bit of an oxymoron; it is easier for a child, of whatever age, not to feel in a father’s or mother’s shadow (or glare), nor to be tempted to live off a predecessor’s reputation, rather than seeking her or his own.

— Poem(s) and “blue man” photo by William Eaton.

Check out one of Eaton’s collections of poetry and prose, for example: 4 billion eggs.