Lillian here, delighted to host today’s Poetics at dVerse, the virtual pub for poets around the globe.
This month marks my 8-year anniversary tending the pub at dVerse. I’m feeling a bit nostalgic, so I’ve decided to dip into the past a bit.
In February 2018, I became acquainted with the art of Catrin Welz-Stein. Trained in graphic design in Germany, she experiments with mixed media, collages, paintings on canvas and digital art. Her process includes searching for license-free images in, for example, old books and magazines. She then breaks images into pieces and 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). Her artwork has been featured on magazine and book covers. From 2014 to 2018, she illustrated seasonal operas for the Cincinnati Opera. In 2015, her illustration work on the Cincinnati Opera’s production of Giacomo Puccini’s Madame Butterfly earned her an award from Communication Arts, one of the premier trade journals in visual communications. With Ms. Welz-Stein’s permission in 2018, I provided four of her images to inspire dVerse folks. I did the same in 2020, with four different images. I recently contacted her in Germany and asked if we might once again use her work for inspiration and she graciously agreed. She indicated how much she enjoyed working with dVerse in the past and looks forward to reading our posts again.
Below are four of her images. I have deliberately left off the titles so you can free-associate with them. Please select one of these images, include it with your post, and be sure to give credit to Catrin Welz-Stein. If you’d like to learn more about her or see more of her work, go to https://catrinwelzstein.com
NOTE: WE ONLY HAVE PERMISSION TO USE THE FOUR IMAGES PROVIDED BELOW.
You may write an ekphrastic poem in the purest sense, describing the image; or you may simply be motivated by the image, letting it stir your imagination to write a poem that in some way, connects to the image. If you have a hard time deciding on just one, remember that for Tuesday’s Poetics, you may post more than one poem on Mr. Linky – so feel free to pick more than 1 image if you are so inspired!
![](https://dversepoets.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/lady-with-book.jpeg?w=692)
![](https://dversepoets.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/sailing-ship.jpeg?w=783)
![](https://dversepoets.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/tree.jpeg?w=791)
![](https://dversepoets.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/lady-with-eyes.jpeg?w=783)
New to dVerse? Need to be refreshed on the rules? Here’s what to do:
- Choose one of the images above (they are the only images we have permission to use) and write a poem that either describes the image or is in some way motivated by/connected to the image.
- Be SURE to include the image in your post AND give credit to the artist, Catrin Welz-Stein.
- Post the poem to your blog AND add the exact URL for your poem to Mr. Linky below.
- REMEMBER to either TAG dVerse in your post, or include a link at the end of your poem that leads readers back to dVerse (https://dversepoets.com).
- If you do not TAG or include a link to dVerse at the end of your post, I will gently remind you to do so. After all, this will increase your readership and comments, and others will find dVerse and hopefully join in the fun. If you do not add the TAG or link after my reminder, I will remove your post from Mr. Linky. I do not want to do that! So please do include the TAG or link!
Good evening poets, good evening, Lillian, and thank you for revisiting the wonderful images of Catrin Welz-Stein. It was hard to choose, but I finally made the obvious decision for me.
So good to see you here, Kim. I do love her artwork. She’s back living in Germany now and is looking forward to coming to the pub tomorrow to read all the poems her images prompt!
How exciting!
Happy Tuesday to all you dVersers out there! It’s a beautiful day in Boston and I’ve already been out for a walk. Nothing better than seeing all the green, the cacophony of colors in flower beds, and hearing the city sounds.
Looking forward to reading some wonderful poetry inspired by Catrin Welz-Stein’s artwork.
Hi Lillian! Happy anniversary, smiles. Also love the artist that you are featuring today as she is very talented. Beautiful day here in Ontario and looking forward to reading the poems.
Good to see you here, Grace! Hard to believe I’ve been tending the pub for 8 years. But I must admit, in addition to learning so much about poetry and writing through prompts and reading posts, I’ve most enjoyed the online friendships made here. And I even got to meet Bjorn in person on a cruise we did where we stopped for a day in Stockholm!
I love the revisit, so much fun to write on these images. We have summer here now and on Thursday it’s our national day. I will be travelling so I will not be here on Thursday.
So glad you enjoy this artist as much as I do! And, I cannot let this day go by without thanking you, Bjorn, for inviting me 8 years ago to become a pub tender! Have learned so much and created online friendships over the years as well.
Hello Kim, Lillian, and All. Nice selection from an artist I remember from before. Heading off to GR and will be back later to visit poetry trail.
Glad you enjoy this artist too! I had a hard time choosing 4 images for the prompt…there are so many wonderful ones.
Lillian, I went to her website and saw that. She’s amazing!
Just got home from GR. Cool we both chose the same image. Will be visiting poetry trail tomorrow to read.
Hello Lillian! How wonderful it is your anniversary month with dVerse! Thanks for a very interesting prompt.
Glad you like the prompt. I’ve always been enamored with her artwork. She’s looking forward to coming to the pub tomorrow to read the poems posted here!
A great prompt, Lillian. I love your choice of pictures. Leaves a lot to the imagination. Thank you for hosting. How about a tall pint of cider in an iced mug! :>)
Oooh cider in an iced mug sounds delicious – think I’ll join you!
Glad you like the images…..I think she’s an amazingly unique artist!
Thank you. Yes, I agree she is wonderful and imaginative.
👋🏻Hi Lillian! I love these pictures! They are wonderful.
So glad you like the images. I’ve been enthralled with her unique images for a long time.
Thanks for introducing her to me.🌸🙏🏻
A very interesting prompt, intriguing images by a unique artist..thanks so much for putting the hours in and creating this. I suppose the owl would have been the most interesting to try, but I copped out, seeing an easier route.
I enjoyed your poem very much…..the format of it reminded me of a “labyrinth” which you actually do mention. I read it in the three columns down….and then in the normal way, across each line. Works every way! Well done!
…and, I forgot to mention, I could not find any where on your post where I could comment on it….so I put my comment here.
Okay folks, stepping away from the pub until tomorrow morning. As always, key is under the potted plant to the right of the pub door. Come on in and help yourself to a snack and/or beverage. No charge. All I ask is that you leave a poem as a tip!
See you in the morning!
Beautiful images! I just posted an eerie poem. But my mother died 6 months ago, so I’m not really surprised it took a left turn.
Glad you enjoyed the images…she really is a unique artist. And, so very sorry for the loss of your mother…..to lose a mom is so very difficult. Sending a hug across this virtual space.
Thank you so much, Lillian.
Happy Anniversary Lillian and you have done us proud with a smorgasbord of images to choose from, and if it wasn’t now 11pm, I would have written to three of them but that’s the time difference…
Thanks for a great prompt and I will have a night-cap please to send me to sleep…
So glad you enjoyed the prompt. Catrin Welz-Stein is truly a unique artist!
I love Catrin’s style!!! I took another humorous path with this challenge. I’ll get serious again, promise. I have bellied up to the bar … would love an Irish Coffee, a chill in the air today in Bend.
So glad you enjoy this truly unique artist! And humor is always good….your poem made me chuckle out loud!
Thank you for hosting Lil. Wonderful image prompts! Think I am going to follow the moon… 🙂✌🏼🫶🏼
BTW — thank you for introducing me to this wonderful artist! 👍🏼
So glad you enjoy Catrin Welz-Stein. She is truly a unique artist!
Hi Lillian, all, nice to share in your nostalgia and once again the wonderful art works of Catrin.
Good to see you here, Paul. For me, she really is a unique artist….as it was the last two times, I found it hard to choose just 4 images for the prompt!
What wonderful paintings. Wish I had time to write about them all!
She really is a unique artist! Glad you enjoyed.
Thank you, Lillian, for this wonderful prompt.
You’re welcome! So glad you enjoyed it.
Seems I missed the deadline on this one Lillian, I work a bit slow, but still …
https://frankenberrysattic.com/2024/06/06/are-all-accounted-for-in-the-moon-poem/