holding the light….
I love this final lap of the year,
those last lingering miles
where scenes brushing quick past the window
slow and settle,
becoming nests and nuzzles
for the nexts to come
and I remember how my heart is wearing dresses
and it makes me twirl a little longer
beneath the moon
while the wind catches leaves and prayers
and lifts them fluttering
across evening skies
thick with glory
and I want to hold this light in my heart
the way the monarch holds it in her wings
and the last roses linger longer
in it’s gaze
I want to wrap it warm
around this land that I love
and wrap her people in it snug
like children tucked in safe through the night,
nourished and warm and cared for and free
and I echo into darkness
“light, be.”
“I will not die an unlived life,
I will not live in fear of falling or catching fire.
I choose to inhabit my days,
to allow my living to open me,
make me less afraid,
more accessible,
to loosen my heart until it becomes a wing,
a torch,
a promise.
I choose to risk my significance
so that which comes to me as seed goes on to the next as blossom
and that which comes to me as blossom
goes on to the next as fruit.”
-Dwana Markova
“Stars and shadows ain’t good to see by.”
-Mark Twain, Huckleberry Finn
linking with Emily
of nourishing Imperfect Prose
and Susan at A Southern Daydreamer
with Lorika
(cause couldn’t we all use some more orange this time of year)
The light you still have in your days makes my heart smile. Your words and their magic are comforting and I wish you many more light in this final leap of the year as you so beautifully put it. xo
Nnnn,,, beautiful, beautiful… Another love song to my heart!
That was supposed to be mmm…. typo, sorry…
‘Final lap of the year’… love that. Beautiful captured moments. Beautiful colors!!
Great photos and interesting prose.
Wow, what gorgeous photos, Jennifer! Thanks for visiting my blog. I may not enter the MOM this week. I am not a very good photographer and most of the entries are photos. If I find I paint something orange this week I’ll post it later.
I choose to inhabit my days,
to allow my living to open me… Wow. I do cherish these words. Great post, Jennifer! Gorgeous photos. Strength and hope are running and dancing here! Peace and love to you! ~ kath
You are amazing and inspiring, Jennifer. Your words always give me so much to think about.
Thank you for that.
I love this post. Such beautiful images and words that flow…The quotes you included are so simple, yet so powerful. I love the phrase about inhabiting my days.
the light is delicious in these photos. beautiful shots.
Let the light Be. And fold it into the well of your heart so you can enjoy a peace of it on darker days.
And if the dress of your heart needs replace ment I’ll borrow you a warm scarf.
Sunny days Jennifer
Hugs Dagmar
Thank you so much for the warm wishes
It was my birthday indeed, a couple of weeks ago.
Your poetry makes my heart sing every time,
The tenderness of butterflies, the expression of paint drops
The flowers fighting the first cold, I can’t believe winter exist
When I read all your posts. Thanks for sharing this warmth with us!
Lindsay
Jennifer, thank you for coming by and leaving comment. Your art and words, photographs and thoughts are absolutely beautiful! ” Be the Light” Yes, Yes.
Such beauty expressed in words
and photos
such wonder released
in all you share
and such joy I feel
visiting here.
Love that poem!
and seriously — you still have flowers to enjoy.
My world here is white and grey on falling light into winter
Jennifer, I love how you can feel so deeply the rhythms of life. You seem to live life in awareness. The butterfly looking for the still sweet nectar and the rose bush pushes forth her last blossom with precision, true to her assigned color and perfume. Although most of the leaves have fallen you still capture that big golden sun to keep you warm. Life is meant to be lived to the full and you seem to embrace each and every day with passion.
Warm hugs my friend.
JB
oh honey,
this morning my wings are thankful to soak up all the light you are sharing here.
that photo of the monarch is breath-taking.
linger linger lingering here.
thank you. xoxox
thank you for this morning light…
The second to the last shot is gorgeous!
Visiting from mandarin Orange Monday. Your comment on my Orange entry will be much appreciated.
Have a great week!
Hi Jennifer,
Such an uplifting post, I love your words creating images and moods, and your pictures … The butterfly in the 2nd photo is absolutely beautiful, and so is your art – waking up to the beautiful sun-planet with the swirling leaves would make one’s day!
The photo with the butterfly is stunning. Visiting from MOM.
this has to be one of my very favorite poems of yours! you just amaze me with your words…i am way more visual than verbal, so i greatly appreciate people, like you that write so beautifully and create such amazing images with words!!
… “the wind catches leaves and prayers” … love it.
Beautifully written. I like the vibrant colours in your photos and especially love the photo of your artwork. xo
Lovely post..well said and beautifully illustrated. The butterfly and flower image you shared on MoM is like a little magic place..a happy one…even though the flower has finished blooming.Beautiful colour!
I like your beautiful, bold painting too:)
Thank you for taking part in Mandarin Orange Monday:)
I like your thought of monarchs holding the light in their wings.
Glorious inspiration, Jennifer! I love autumn, too!
Jennifer, I love your sweet poetry. Your photos represent some earthly beauties.
How do you possibly live with all that color and beauty without exploding? Oh yes. That’s right. You take it all in and send it back out in magnificent, delicious words. 😉
Perfect autumnal words, so pleased to be back reading your blog after my enforced break.
You still have such incredible beauty and color there. Thanks for sharing it!
Jennifer, what incredible words of wisdom and reflection and foresight into the coming of the end of the year. With all holidays and celebrations of life and love ahead of us … thank you for putting it in such a wonderful package of words and images that just makes me smile and move happily into this holiday season and end of the year!
Holding light in our heart and letting it shine for others that need it. Thanks for this lovely post.~kathy
So many favorite lines here, Jennifer, hard to know which to focus on…The twirling dress imagery caught me as well as wanting to “wrap her people snug”…Thanks for sharing your photos and words 🙂
So many favorite lines here, Jennifer, hard to know which to focus on…The twirling dress imagery caught me as well as wanting to “wrap her people snug”…Thanks for sharing your photos and words 🙂
“and I remember how my heart is wearing dresses
and it makes me twirl a little longer
beneath the moon” I looooove your words !! and your painting to that!!! You light up my clouded day 🙂
Life is beautiful,
life is great.
Beautiful photographs and love the poem to. So full of meaning. Hugs.
so many great lines here…all wrapped up in that beautiful painting. yes, these last laps. holding it all as tight as we can.
I really like the one with the butterfly.