Soul scraffiti

When I was a girl,
I loved carving roads and rooms and rhymes
into Autumn ground
with the crunchy art supplies
dropped by generous trees
~a whole season of scraffiti,
the sweet-smelling earth my canvas,
patterned with mystery
like crop signs
whispering delicious secrets.

I spent hours playing
in the nooks and crannies I’d created,
my imagination happily wallowing
in newborn spaces.

There were stores to keep
and castles
and cottages deep in magic woods,
always with a corral for my very own horse
(my trusty bicycle with the banana seat).
I felt fully alive scratching out my art
through masses of fallen leaves.

 Now,  in the Autumn of my life,
I still find joy scratching through debris
making art in tangled up and troubled spaces,


drawing near to chaos
and pulling out the  light,
trimming, pruning,  weeding, shaping, planting and sorting
until bits of earth are singing again,
freeing both gardens and their people
disentangled and calm.

I love it,  this sense that we’re carving oxygen and order
into spaces gone clogged with constriction.
I so dig seeing living things come unfettered,
making room for beauty to stretch out cramped legs
and make herself at home again.

Each time it feels as if deep down
in my own overcrowded places
there comes a release from more clutter
and I can see more clearly the love,
reaching out to soothe and sort the tangles in me,
leaving carvings in my soul
like those left by the paths and patterns
of my childhood rake
so many Autumns ago. 
"Such love does the sky now pour
 that whenever I stand in a field
 I have to wring out the light
 when I get home."

St. Francis of Assisi

linking up with a wonderful space,  Your Sunday Best
and
also with this powerful beauty.

And,  hey,  I posted this two full Autumns ago
but it still fits like a glove
and this week was too wild for words
so I’m resting deep in my paints
and letting them find me
when they’re ready.
Huge grace to us all.

46 Comments

  1. Gina on September 30, 2012 at 1:14 pm

    Beautiful work- I love that.

  2. Tracy on September 30, 2012 at 3:05 pm

    WOW, love that pumpkin and the leaf, gorgeous!

  3. Leovi on September 30, 2012 at 5:02 pm

    Really lovely colors, beautiful compositions very interesting, I really like.

  4. Bren on September 30, 2012 at 5:25 pm

    I use to do the same thing, mapping out my world in dirt and leaves, then snow come winter 🙂
    Love how you describe and relate to your world, your work…”this sense that we’re carving oxygen and order into spaces gone clogged with constriction.” Love the vivid word picture you create

  5. Ivanhoe on September 30, 2012 at 6:20 pm

    Such pretty photos and even prettier words to go with them. Thanks for stopping by! You have so many blogs, I did not know which one to visit. I finally chose this one (your web). Enjoy your Sunday night!

  6. Lori on September 30, 2012 at 6:28 pm

    What a beautiful blog you have! Beautiful photos – and lots of my favourite colour- orange. That pumpkin image is magnificent! Beautiful colour – and interesting contrasting textures. You might like to share your work on Mandarin Orange Monday too:)

  7. Lori on September 30, 2012 at 6:28 pm

    What a beautiful blog you have! Beautiful photos – and lots of my favourite colour- orange. That pumpkin image is magnificent! Beautiful colour – and interesting contrasting textures. You might like to share your work on Mandarin Orange Monday too:)

  8. Cheryl on September 30, 2012 at 8:39 pm

    The words and images go together so beautifully. Sometimes it’s good to cull through the archives to see what comes to light. So glad you reposted this. It’s delightful.

  9. Cheryl on September 30, 2012 at 8:39 pm

    The words and images go together so beautifully. Sometimes it’s good to cull through the archives to see what comes to light. So glad you reposted this. It’s delightful.

  10. rachel awes on September 30, 2012 at 8:48 pm

    that assisi piece took my breath away!!!
    + honey, this ground you’ve carved + loved your life into,
    is the most blessed dirt around!!!
    have so much fun w/your paints
    + loooooooooove to youuuu!
    xoxox

  11. Kathy on September 30, 2012 at 11:09 pm

    Magical photos AND sentiments 🙂

  12. Susan on October 1, 2012 at 12:12 am

    I envy your connection with the earth and her plants, Jennifer. Enjoy your week with your paints : )

  13. Nancy on October 1, 2012 at 6:40 am

    Gorgeous autumn colors! Thank you for sharing at Your Sunday Best. xo

  14. Andrea on October 1, 2012 at 7:49 am

    You are so poetic! Thanks so much for visiting!

  15. S. Etole on October 1, 2012 at 8:03 am

    I always wonder how you pull so much beauty through your words and images.

  16. Jenn on October 1, 2012 at 8:59 am

    Beautiful words!!!!! And love the photo with the pumpkin and the leaf!

  17. Beyond Zephyr on October 1, 2012 at 10:05 am

    Those are beautiful images and pretty colors of autumn!

  18. beth on October 1, 2012 at 10:55 am

    i think i’m in the autumn of my life, too…..xo

  19. Kathy on October 1, 2012 at 11:13 am

    May Grace and Beauty and simple Joy come back to you, too, Jennifer. Love you, kath

  20. Pat on October 1, 2012 at 12:50 pm

    My hands are itching to get at that pumpkin!

  21. Dulcy Stewart on October 1, 2012 at 1:01 pm

    Oh Jennifer, these October oranges and golds are so inspiring and gorgeous, as your fabulous artwork. Also, I had popped over here a week or so ago and saw your wonderfully emotional and happy happy post with your baby coming out of the water to greet you, and I just cried. I made my husband look at all she shots and he thought it was so moving, and very cool….. Just wanted you to know how much I appreciate getting to know you through your lovely blog.

    xo
    dulcy

  22. Robyn on October 1, 2012 at 1:11 pm

    The third picture is my favorite, Jennifer. You have a lot of lovely memories to think about in the fall.

    Thank You for visiting my blog.

  23. Ellie on October 1, 2012 at 2:36 pm

    Oh I love your pictures with all of their lovely bright strong colours. Just right for the autumn. 🙂

    http://elliesplaceintheworld.blogspot.co.uk/

  24. Diane on October 1, 2012 at 2:54 pm

    Wow!!! Some of your images take my breath away!!
    You have captured fall in her most glorious moments. And your words…the perfect accompaniment!

  25. Diane on October 1, 2012 at 2:54 pm

    Wow!!! Some of your images take my breath away!!
    You have captured fall in her most glorious moments. And your words…the perfect accompaniment!

  26. Amarie on October 1, 2012 at 10:20 pm

    Such beautiful, bright, vibrant colors!

  27. Judy Hartman on October 1, 2012 at 10:38 pm

    Amazing words and thoughts, as always, Jennifer. And I love the quote from St. Francis – one of my favorites. Autumn is my favorite season and I love your memories and fabulous images!

  28. Sadee Schilling on October 2, 2012 at 1:41 am

    “leaving carvings in my soul.” I just love this fresh way of looking at Autumn. It’s always been my favorite and does something to my heart. I think you may have just put it into words for me :). Thanks for sharing this!

  29. kamana on October 2, 2012 at 5:44 am

    what beautiful colours!

  30. Lindsay on October 2, 2012 at 7:09 am

    Kinda late with commenting, had a very busy week.
    So many autumn colors! Here autumn has a little delay but I can
    smell it already, thanks to your post. 🙂
    Thanks for sharing this beauty!

    Lindsay

  31. alecia on October 2, 2012 at 7:42 am

    wow, your words are mesmorizing. and the art, stunning. “Watch for the hidden gifts when things tumble down and break apart.” loved that!!

  32. Rainfield (雨田) on October 2, 2012 at 9:06 am

    Your world is always so colourful.

    And come along with many beautiful words.

  33. Dina on October 2, 2012 at 10:15 am

    Wow…so beautiful!

  34. Dina on October 2, 2012 at 10:15 am

    Wow…so beautiful!

  35. ND Mitchell on October 3, 2012 at 7:59 am

    Love this poem-it says so much, both visually and in your beautful word pictures. Glad I visited.

  36. Barbara on October 3, 2012 at 10:59 am

    Thank you for reposting this – full of so much autumn love and beautiful words!

  37. jeanie on October 3, 2012 at 6:23 pm

    Well, I didn’t know you two years ago, so I’m glad you reposted. It’s wonderful. And anyone who can write this: “with the crunchy art supplies
    dropped by generous trees”
    absolutely dazzles me and confounds my sense of joy as I ponder the possibilities.

  38. Jennifer {StudioJRU} on October 3, 2012 at 10:50 pm

    Wow. Such a beautiful post. I love that quote from St. Francis of Assisi. Love your images. The colors are fantastic! 🙂

  39. Behind The Smile on October 4, 2012 at 4:10 pm

    I love all the photos but especially the cherish creation-such beautiful vibrant colours and it speaks to the soul with the hand holding the flower with the heart beside. See more clearly the love reaching out to soothe and sort the tangles in me, leaving carvings in my soul-this so resonates with myself. Thank you, your words and art speak so powerfully as always. Blessings.

  40. lynn on October 4, 2012 at 10:14 pm

    Wow, what beautiful photos, and mixed media pieces you’ve created.

  41. Karen Stout on October 5, 2012 at 7:36 am

    I adore this piece. And everything you create. And your words that always seem to be pulled right out of my heart. It’s amazing. Like you.

  42. Connie Smiley on October 5, 2012 at 1:59 pm

    Just reading this seems to sort some of my clutter, Jennifer. Beautiful, as always. Huge grace to you, too.

  43. kathryn on October 5, 2012 at 2:20 pm

    your beautiful words are timeless!!and you make me miss the fall season with your lovely photos!!

  44. eydie on October 6, 2012 at 11:17 am

    This posting does still fit like a glove.
    My week was also too big for words.
    Still searching for them.
    Is it in the air?
    Much love and light to you.
    XOXO

  45. Lynn on October 8, 2012 at 6:52 am

    That was great! Bet it fits every fall! Fall. That crisp newness of seasons. Warm apple pies and ghostly surprise. Aaaahhhh fall. Great post!

  46. jeanie on October 21, 2012 at 9:28 pm

    That first pumpkin with the leaf? Oh, my! It is simply perfect in every way. You express fall with your art supplies of the earth. How much I love that!

Leave a Reply Cancel Reply