Primitive Folk Tale

lillian

She, the earliest of living things.
Her strength, serenity.
Eternal for the ages.

Birthed ‘neath a solar scrim
stars and silver moons afloat,
heavenly aura ’round her soul.

In her hand she held thee, wren.
Firstborn feathered creature
created from wisps of love.

Genesis of multiples
winged in soaring flight,
traversing through her skies.

Red blossoms, thorned and not,
suckled from her bosom soft
kindness sipped by every bloom.

Life seeded within her mind
begat entangled branches,
generations of humankind.

Earthly homes imagined
crowned forth upon her head
’til eyelids softly closed,

whispered words escaped her lips.
‘Tis done.
Now they must live.

Catrin Welz-Stein - German Surrealist Graphic Designer - Tutt'Art@ (24)

I’m hosting dVerse today, the virtual pub for poets, asking folks to chose one of four images that I’ve provided, from talented artist Catrin Welz-Stein.  

I also published The Cat and the Elephant, using another of her images.

I love the serenity of this image. If you click on her name, you’ll get to her website which includes much more of her artwork. Thank you, Catrin, for letting us use your beautiful images for motivation today! Pub opens at 3 PM Boston time. Stop by and be inspired!

65 thoughts on “Primitive Folk Tale”

  1. Björn Rudberg (brudberg) February 13, 2018 / 2:58 pm

    This is a wonderful and sweet story of creation… I can see the strength in a story like this.. how can we ever hurt anyone who have done it all for us.. sacrificing herself.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • lillian February 13, 2018 / 3:45 pm

      Thank you, Bjorn. When I looked at this image I thought somehow of the gentleness of so many folk tales, primitive tales, native American Indian mythology, etc. Glad you enjoyed.

      Like

      Reply
  2. kim881 February 13, 2018 / 3:06 pm

    Your poem suits the image well, Lill! I love the way you have built up the poem from triplets and I especially love the lines:
    ‘Birthed ‘neath a solar scrim
    stars and silver moons afloat’
    and
    ‘Genesis of multiples
    winged in soaring flight’,
    Oh, I do love ekphrastic poetry!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • lillian February 13, 2018 / 3:46 pm

      Thank you, Kim. Ah, you caught the She! 🙂 I do love old mythology and folklore…and she, in her serenity just made me think of a world started by a she 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  3. Vivian Zems February 13, 2018 / 3:07 pm

    A powerful ode tof Eve is what I glean from the flow of your words. “….Life seeded within her mind….” – sublime.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • lillian February 13, 2018 / 3:47 pm

      Ah….glad you liked that line……and think about the “crowning” line and in birth, the head crowns first 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
      • Vivian Zems February 13, 2018 / 4:29 pm

        Such a lateral thinker! I’ve got to practice this more😊

        Like

    • lillian February 13, 2018 / 3:47 pm

      Thanks, Frank. Glad you enjoyed. Seems quite a few are picking this image. 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  6. Misky February 13, 2018 / 3:41 pm

    Oh so nice, so very nice, Lillian. A charming piece of writing.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  7. Glenn Buttkus February 13, 2018 / 4:30 pm

    And She is back, gracing us with double handfuls of mythos and whimsey-Mother Nature. Earth Mother–kind of usurping Genesis as a male gift–and so right on as to the connection to the art.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • lillian February 13, 2018 / 4:44 pm

      Feels so good to be back in the dVerse groove! 🙂 Our journey was amazing and I’m certain images from the trip will appear here over the next months.
      So glad you enjoyed this one, Glenn. Yep — let’s have some herstory here 🙂

      Like

      Reply
  9. erbiage February 13, 2018 / 6:07 pm

    Wow! Lillian, this is such a deeply moving and beautiful piece

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • lillian February 13, 2018 / 7:28 pm

      Oh my, smiling I am. Thank you so much. What a lovely thing to say. Truly appreciated.

      Like

      Reply
  10. dornahainds February 13, 2018 / 6:15 pm

    Again, such Awesome Excellence of Emotions and Imagery.. 😎🥀😎🥀😎🥀

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  11. Pingback: The Cat and the Elephant – lillian the home poet
  12. whimsygizmo February 13, 2018 / 7:55 pm

    Ooooo. I love this! Feels like an extended (better) version of mine. 😉

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • lillian February 13, 2018 / 8:20 pm

      Glad you enjoyed…..duality of mind here? 🙂 ❤

      Like

      Reply
  13. rothpoetry February 13, 2018 / 7:55 pm

    I love the inspiration that comes from art! You Creation story rivals Genesis!
    Dwight

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • lillian February 13, 2018 / 8:21 pm

      I was so enthralled with her work. Do look at the short youtube video I’ve included toward the end of the prompt. It has more of her images set to music — absolutely wonderful! Glad you liked my primitve folk tale here!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  16. Waltermarks February 13, 2018 / 8:20 pm

    I think she did great with the birds and roses. You have given her a grand venue

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • lillian February 14, 2018 / 7:53 am

      Ah…..poetry by immersion. 🙂 Sounds good…glad you enjoyed!

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      Reply
    • lillian February 14, 2018 / 7:53 am

      Thank you, Margaret. I absolutely love this artist’s images….and this one just seemed so serene.

      Like

      Reply
    • lillian February 14, 2018 / 7:54 am

      Thank you, Mary. Somehow, I found this serene female image so caring and nurturing…Glad you enjoyed the tale.

      Like

      Reply
  20. sarahsouthwest February 14, 2018 / 1:37 am

    What a lovely creation story. It’s one of those pieces that makes the image “obviously” an illustration to the story, rather than the other way round. There’s a dreaming power to it.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • lillian February 14, 2018 / 7:55 am

      Thank you so much for these very kind words Sarah. Truly appreciated. Happy Wednesday!

      Like

      Reply
    • lillian February 14, 2018 / 4:49 pm

      Yes indeed….she is there!

      Like

      Reply
    • lillian February 17, 2018 / 10:34 am

      Thank you….I was just so taken with the serenity of this image! 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
    • lillian February 17, 2018 / 10:47 am

      Oh my….thank you, Susie!

      Like

      Reply
  24. memadtwo February 15, 2018 / 6:09 am

    Wonderful mythical quality to this. Captures the timelessness of the image well. (K)

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  25. Gospel Isosceles February 15, 2018 / 6:41 am

    Wow, now I can see how inspired you were by this surreal art, seeing such a profound origin myth in this image.
    “Life seeded within her mind
    begat entangled branches,
    generations of humankind.”
    It’s like I saw a dream, and you saw a reality. Well done, Lillian.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • lillian February 17, 2018 / 10:50 am

      Oh my….what a wonderful comment to read. Thank you so very very much! We’ve been gone for the funeral of a dear friend…Ready to head back home now so just reading this. It brought a smile to my face in the midst of a difficult few days. Thank you so very much. Truly appreciate your comment here.

      Like

      Reply
  26. Charmed Chaos February 15, 2018 / 10:48 am

    Such amazing imagery you have created with your words Lillian! My favorite stanza:
    In her hand she held thee, wren.
    Firstborn feathered creature
    created from wisps of love.

    Wisps of Love- beautiful!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • lillian February 17, 2018 / 10:52 am

      Thank you! I just so enjoyed her artwork….glad you enjoyed my interpretation of the image here.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
    • lillian February 17, 2018 / 10:53 am

      Ah, thank you! That word “serenity” — exactly what I first felt looking at this image 🙂

      Like

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  28. Singledust February 17, 2018 / 12:56 am

    each culture or race has a creation story different from the biblical or evolutionary one, you have written one like its been told for ages and passed down by word of mouth and become infused with so much wonder and tenderness for SHE, the loving creator of a safe world. and how gently we must treat her in return. I’d think this would be excellent for a lesson on life sustainability in a school lesson.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    • lillian February 17, 2018 / 10:54 am

      What a wonderful wonderful comment to read. Thank you so very much!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
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