Quilted Poems

"Quilted Poems" was created by an ekphrastic collaboration of poets from the Poetry Society of Virginia, and quilters from Virginia. Ekphrastic is Greek for to "describe or explain". The quilts in this book visually describe poems written to inspire quilters. It contains 65 poems and images of 45 quilts. Some of the quilts were designed as concrete representations of the quilter's chosen poem, others used abstract symbols or abstract quilt block designs. The poems address various subjects including nature, the process of quilting and quilters, and spirituality.

"Quilted Poems" was created by an ekphrastic collaboration of poets from the Poetry Society of Virginia, and quilters from Virginia. Ekphrastic is Greek for to "describe or explain". The quilts in this book visually describe poems written to inspire quilters. It contains 65 poems and images of 45 quilts. Some of the quilts were designed as concrete representations of the quilter's chosen poem, others used abstract symbols or abstract quilt block designs. The poems address various subjects including nature, the process of quilting and quilters, and spirituality. This unique book is a wondrous melding of visual and literary art. While each poem and quilt can be viewed and appraised individually, your original perspective is further enhanced or shifted askew when merging the two mediums. This careful pairing of images and words creates an artistic synergy that is a treat to behold. —Bill Glose, author of "Postscript to War", "Virginia Walkabout", "Personal Geography", "Half a Man", and "The Human Touch" All that we piece together from threads and fragments, stories and words— surely, work that bears the signatures of time and love. We are grateful for the poets and quilters who give us an abundance of such gifts through this anthology. —Luisa A. Igloria, 20th Poet Laureate of the Commonwealth of Virginia

Kathleen P. Decker is a physician and poet who lives in Virginia. She has written a variety of haiku, tanka, haibun, and renku in English, many of which were translated into Japanese. She edited and published an online and print international haiku journal, "Chiyo's Corner". She edited two haiku anthologies, "My Neighbor's Life", an anthology of Northwest poets celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Haiku Association of America, and "On Crimson Wings", an anthology of Japanese and American poets celebrating the centennial of the Japanese Consulate in Seattle, Washington. She has been published in numerous haiku journals and served as an editor for the World Haiku Association. She has also authored several books of poetry including, "Russian Reverie", "Whispers on Paper", and "Essence of Woman." She recently edited and curated "Quilted Poems," a collaboration of 62 poets of the Poetry Society of Virginia, and 38 quilters from Colonial Piecemakers Quilt Guild in Virginia. She has served as Vice President of the Poetry Society of Virginia since 2019 and the President of Colonial Piecemakers Quilt Guild since 2019.