Imagery. It’s that magic dust that turns blah words into fireworks in your brain. Like, y’all ever read a line and suddenly see a whole movie in your head? That’s imagery working its mojo.
I learned this the hard way after trying to write a poem once. It read like a grocery list. Not exactly “breathtaking” or “haunting.” No, it was “milk, eggs, bread.” Yeah, not poetic.
Anyway, here’s the kicker: good imagery isn’t just about visuals. It’s smells, sounds, tastes, feels—all mixed into one tasty sensory cocktail.
Books: Where Imagery Runs Wild Like a Kid in a Candy Store
Books are full of wicked examples of imagery that yank you into their world.
Take F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. He writes:
“In his blue gardens men and girls came and went like moths among the whisperings and the champagne and the stars.”
Moths. Champagne bubbles. Whisperings. You can almost hear the party. I swear, the first time I read that, I wanted to crash the party, sip some bubbly, and wear fancy hats.
Steinbeck, on the other hand, paints landscapes like a mood ring.
“A few miles south of Soledad, the Salinas River drops in close to the hillside bank and runs deep and green.”
I remember the smell of Walmart’s parking lot rosemary on June 7th, 2019—totally random, but that earthy smell stuck in my head like Steinbeck’s words stick in yours.
Oh, and yes, my first herb garden died faster than my 2020 sourdough starter—RIP, Gary. Speaking of gardens, Victorian folks actually believed talking to ferns prevented madness. I talk to my begonias just in case.
Songs: Lyrics That Punch Your Feelings Right in the Gut
Songs use imagery to slap emotions awake. Like Hotel California by The Eagles:
“Warm smell of colitas rising up through the air…”
Wait, what’s a colita? I had to Google that. Turns out it’s a slang term for a part of the marijuana plant. Wild. But the smell imagery? Wicked vivid.
Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah hits differently too:
“It’s a cold and it’s a broken hallelujah…”
Cold? Broken? You feel that chill. Makes you want to wrap yourself in a blanket or cry into your coffee. (Which I have, many times.)
Or Katy Perry’s line:
“Do you ever feel like a plastic bag drifting through the wind?”
Been there. Drifted that plastic bag life.
Speeches: When Imagery Moves Mountains (Or Just People)
Imagery in speeches? That’s where words pack a wallop.
Martin Luther King Jr.’s I Have a Dream speech is chock-full of it:
“I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low…”
Like, can you see those hills and valleys? I sure can. Their/there mix-ups? Guilty as charged, but that imagery is gold.
Obama’s 2004 DNC speech:
“There’s not a liberal America and a conservative America — there’s the United States of America.”
A metaphorical map of unity. It’s like he’s drawing us all together with words.
And Winston Churchill?
“We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds…”
I mean, who wouldn’t get pumped after hearing that? I got goosebumps just typing it.
Types of Imagery—More Than Just Eye Candy
Here’s where it gets fun. Imagery hits all your senses.
Visual Imagery (Sight)
- “The sky was the color of cat vomit.” — from Uglies by Scott Westerfeld (yes, seriously).
- Churchill’s “iron curtain” speech—see it hanging over Europe?
- A sunset that’s “blue and gold.”
These are classic examples of imagery that make your eyeballs happy.
Auditory Imagery (Sound)
- The clanging bell in a quiet church.
- Simon & Garfunkel’s “sound of silence.”
- Whispering winds that carry secrets.
You’re not just hearing, you’re almost feeling the hush.
Olfactory Imagery (Smell)
- Old books and coffee—my jam.
- The warm scent of baking bread.
- That burnt popcorn smell that ruins movie night.
These smells hit harder than you think. I remember the smell of Pete’s Hardware’s cracked watering can on 5th Ave—it survived my overwatering phase. Like a champ.
Gustatory Imagery (Taste)
- Tangy mango lips, anyone?
- Britney Spears singing “taste of your lips”—cheesy but effective.
Tactile Imagery (Touch)
- Rough wool scratching like nails on a chalkboard.
- Rain soaking through your jacket.
I once tried gardening in a rainstorm. Rain. Mud. A shovel. That’s how my composting disaster began.
Why Bother With Imagery?
Here’s the deal. Imagery isn’t fluff. It’s the secret sauce that makes writing come alive.
Mood? Check. Want spooky? Dark, foggy imagery does that. Want happy? Sunshine and laughter.
Emotion? Hell yeah. Ever felt a story break your heart because you felt the tears, the choke in their voice? That’s imagery.
Abstract concepts? Imagery makes ’em real. Like hope being a “broken-winged bird.” Thanks, Langston Hughes.
Writing Tips: How to Nail Imagery Without Sounding Like a Robot
- Be specific. Don’t say “flower,” say “wilted daisy dragging its petals in defeat.”
- Use similes and metaphors. “Her smile was like sunshine breaking through storm clouds.”
- But, don’t overdo it. No one likes reading a dictionary of adjectives.
- Oh, and beware—You need nitrogen-rich soil—wait, no, was it potassium? Let me Google that again… gardening is hard.
Some Kickass Quotes Packed With Imagery
- “It was a pleasure to burn.” — Fahrenheit 451
- “I wandered lonely as a cloud…” — William Wordsworth
- “The silence was deafening.”
- “Smells like teen spirit.” — Nirvana
- “Her voice was a songbird’s melody.”
Each is a prime example of imagery that sticks in your brain like gum on a shoe.
Imagery Today: Netflix, Ads, and Tweets
Ever notice how Netflix shows use retro imagery? Like Stranger Things with its walkie-talkies and foggy woods.
Ads? “Red Bull gives you wings.” Not literally, but you get the idea.
And tweets? Man, some folks write captions so juicy you can almost taste the tacos.
Real Talk: Why Imagery Sticks With Us
Brain science says we remember images better than words alone. But here’s the real deal: my neighbor Tina swears her kale patch cured her Zoom fatigue. Who am I to argue? That’s anecdotal proof imagery matters, y’all.
Final Messy Thoughts (And a Coffee Spill)
I literally wrote this on paper, spilled coffee on it (classic me), and tried to decipher the smudged words.
As noted on page 42 of the out-of-print Garden Mishaps & Miracles (1998), sometimes the messiest moments bring out the best stories.
Anyway, next time you write or speak, sprinkle in those examples of imagery. Make folks feel your words, not just hear ’em.
