Mother Nature fell asleep thinking
and her thoughts became dreams
into rich, dark soil sinking.
Nothing in this world is ever as it seems
and her fantasies took root,
watered by rain and underground streams.
By spring, the roots had given birth to shoots
that sought the warmth of the sun,
and the shoots grew and began to produce
stalks and leaves. The growing had begun,
and lifeblood sap was circulating.
As we all know, a woman’s work is never done,
and Mother Nature woke up thinking
now would be the perfect time for flowering.
Kim M. Russell, 22nd September 2020

My response to dVerse Poets Pub Poetics: Let your words be your paintbrush!
Lillian is back to host Poetics today with an artist whose work she first shared with us in 2018. She reminds us that Catrin Welz-Stein studied graphic design in Germany and experimented with mixed media, collages, paintings on canvas and digital art. She searches for license-free images and scours old books and magazines, breaks images into pieces, and then weaves them together with other images to create something entirely new. She is especially interested in folklore, fairy tales, surrealism, medieval times and Jugendstil (Art Noveau).
With Ms. Welz-Stein’s permission, Lillian has chosen four of her images and deliberately left off the titles so that we can free-associate with them. She asks us to select one of these images, include it in our post, and be sure to give credit to Catrin Welz-Stein with a link to her website http://catrin-stein.imagekind.com/store/
We may write an ekphrastic poem in the purest sense, describing the image, or we may simply be motivated by the image and write a poem that in some way connects to the image. Mine turned into a sonnet – a fable for children.
Ah Kim….I guessed you would choose this one! I love you’re relating the image to the work of mother nature….and the ending made me smile…on to the flowering! 🙂
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It was a difficult choice, Lill, and I would love buy have one or two of the prints when I can afford them.
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Oh we chose the same image… love the way you made it in praise to mother nature. Her thoughts are like thinking and roots.
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Thank you, Bjorn.
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This is achingly gorgeous, Kim! 😍 Only you can write a nature poem and bring out the philosopher hidden in the person reading it. I love; “her fantasies took root, watered by rain and underground streams.” 💝💝
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Thanks so much, Sanaa! 🙂
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This is done with a light touch, like the girl in the painting who wears her responsibilities lightly.
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Thank you, Jane! We see Mother Nature develop from girl to old crone every year and never tire of her.
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And the crone is as much a part of the cycle as the young girl 🙂
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A joyous interpretation of the art, Kim. Who could imagine Mother Nature better than you with your gardener’s heart!
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Thank you, Bev.
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Oh, so powerful and beautiful! ❤
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Thank you, Lucy!
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A creation myth as good as any. I love a creation myth told from a feminine perspective. Such a beautiful poem, Kim.
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Thanks so much, Lisa.
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You’re welcome.
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This reminds me of spring season. I love the birthing, growing and flowering parts. Mother Nature just knows how its done in time.
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Mother Nature never lets us down.
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I considered this visual prompt too, Kim, but opted otherwise. And a good thing, too, because while I couldn’t generate anything worth reading, you, sister, have nailed it. Awesome story, well told, using wonderful language in a very appropriate form.
Chicken Dinner.
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That’s so kind of you, Ron! I loved the cheeky ending to your tanka. 🙂
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I used the same image but prefer your mother earth version, enchanting!
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Thank you, Kate!
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Great job incorporating mother nature and all the work she does to keep spring full of promise and growth.
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Thank you, Truedessa.
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A poem for spring! I like that Mother Nature’s work is never done. Nicely done Kim.
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Thanks so much, Dwight.
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You are most welcome!
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Love the progression of this.
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Thank you, Mary.
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a lovely awakening (k)
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Thanks Kerfe!
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Kim, you captured the image immaculately, so damned well realized — wonderful write!
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Thank you, Rob!
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Such a beautiful message of hope! I love the gentle lilting of the poem and the rhyming scheme. ‘A woman’s work is never done’ indeed – I know that when I look at all the housework that needs done, but I’d much rather spend time reading beautiful poetry like this 😊
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Such kind words, Ingrid, made my rainy morning.
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Now is the perfect time for flowering indeed. Lovely!
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Thank you, Sherry!
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I hadn’t read yours, but ours were very much along the same lines–and both with rhyme.
I like the light, gentle touch of yours. And the reminder that a woman’s work is never done made me chuckle–so true!
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Thank you, Merril. Great minds…
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Indeed! 😀
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That is a perfect picture to represent Mother Nature
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Thank you, Christine.
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This is hope… beautiful spring… love!
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Thank you, Sreeja!
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Beautiful the seemless metaphors here. And yes, a woman’s work … 😂
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Thank you, Dora.😊
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