Becoming More

She has made her soul to be
as smooth as possible,
laid down before the feet
of passers-by as a road for travel.

She has attempted the intricate
architecture of bridging across landmass
for others.

She has contemplated the doormats
that ordain front shops and village homes -
some welcome all guests,
others used for wiping off the dirt alone.

As long as she is beneath and
not above, all eyes greet her
with warmth and happiness.

As long as she is quiet
when quiet is expected.
As long as she is vocal
only by definition, all is well.

But to become aware,
to wave her soul as a banner,
to extricate from the web
of articulate conversation,
to express deeper thoughts
that arise from within like prisms,
to attempt to walk
on top of the water when others
prefer taking the ferry,
to shake off the doormat dust
and walk through the threshold of the door
into what may come -

This is met with a variety of
possible reactions, not all welcome.

And yet to feel her soul
become a skin of tattooed brilliance,
to feel her soul a jewel refracting light,
to feel her soul becoming;
becoming more
is worth sacrificing people's opinions
over the cliff of intention,
is worth shedding old ways
that no longer service,
is worth the pain
of discovery. 

She has become for herself
a flying carpet.

She may pour out abundance
upon the faces of all people.
She may touch the temple
of every human being with full grace
and travel every road with her soul a flag flying
from her hand stretched out of the window,
exuberant.

Jenneth Graser

Artist Dawn Siebel

Masterpiece

You may tell yourself nice things
like: it's really not that bad,
grin and bear it.

You may tell yourself:
I'm fine.
Happiness is an inside job
and the sun will come up tomorrow.

And it's true.
The sun will rise
on mountains that share in her beauty.

Trees will keep in their cycles
of growth as they should.
Birds will fly, and sing.

Laughter is healing.

And it could be a lot worse.

When you rearrange
what life has dealt you with,

you create for yourself
a masterpiece of
abstract art.

And you don't have to explain anymore
or justify responses.

It is good to express the goodness
that has been kept for so long
on the inside of
unique and wonderful you.

Jenneth Graser

Artist - Francoise Nielly

Your Delicate and Precious Intentions

Smiles are followed by indigestion
after some conversations.
And we feel the Spirit nudge
us with fingertips of
a summery breeze,
lifting our preconceived ways
of doing things into the air.

Some days are meant for
re-evaluation.

When we recognise the wind
that blows around our chest
and the restless rise and fall,
as something more than just
happenstance digestion,
we are on the verge of fresh revelation.

Some days are meant for
confrontation.

No more doing things the way we always did.
No more lapsing into familiar patterns
that just don't work for us.
Or them.

We feel our warm thoughts rise like warm air
is meant to,
and we know, we are going to have to pick up that phone,
write that letter, make that face to face appointment.

There is no going back.
Take the bull by the horns they say,
before the bull in the china shop of your delicate
and precious intentions
crashes them all to the floor
once again.

God is with her (you love that scripture)
she will not fall (yes, say it again),
God is with her at break of day.

Jenneth Graser

#write31days
Day 26 Prompt - confront

Photography - Matt Wisniewski

Dare to Shine

You have felt for some time the pull
of simplicity.

A lowering of certain expectations
to make room for what comes.

The peeling of a shroud
of weighty obligation,
to step out like a newborn.

Switch off the lying voices loud.
Dial up on a whisper of promises.

Look at your self in the mirror.
Remove the labels they put there.

You can rearrange the territory
and prepare for what did not feel so safe before.

Take off the mask to let your skin
breathe in the fair light of day.
Reach out for help when help is needed.

No more running for cover -
You will dare to shine.

Jenneth Graser

#write31days
Day 22 Prompt - off

Artist - Dorina Costras

Listen to Beyond the window - Jason Upton

Tell the Story

Ideas neatly arranged
in the minds of scholars.
Flowers co-ordinated in rows.
Mathematical problems proved,
solved.

Analyse your behaviour:
follow the rules.

The wheels have for too long
been turning to the tune
of inherited songs.

Sometimes it is better to let
everything fall down on its knees,
before you re-arrange the pictures
on the wall.

When all you know to be true
turns on its head in a muddle,
you will feel held in your great mess.

There is a crumbling of layers,
a shedding of skin,
a moulting to reveal the secrets
you have held back.

Only when your plans are snatched
out of your grasp
will the radiant secrets come to light,
as you surrender control of every part.

It is time to bring the guitar
out of hiding and strum
your own chords.

Feel the fire in you rise uninhibited,
burn all strife and tell the story
that has been waiting all your life
to be told.

Jenneth Graser

#write31days
Day 8 Prompt - muddle

Artist - Joseph DeCamp

Listen to: Out of Hiding Father's Song by Steffany Gretzinger and Amanda Cook

The Dazzling Awkward Road

There were years of preparation
for perfection.
"One day, when..."

When all the ticks mark all the boxes
and your longings are laid to rest.

When you are always in control
going where you want to go.

But, all of those plans
got wedged between diaries on shelves.

And you still make mistakes.

Take a long look into the mirror
and see...you.

Not the you you want to be
or the you you were,

But who you are now.

It is time to let go of perfection,
of should have, could have,
would have.

It is time to learn how
to be a dear friend
to yourself.

Yes, all of the fractured cracks
and fierce glowing embers have combined
to form a one-of-a-kind thing of beauty.

Art in its purest form:
imperfection in harmony
with grace in motion.

You have come upon the dazzling
awkward road towards finding yourself

Beloved.

Jenneth Graser

#write31days
Day 6 Prompt - You

Artist - Gustav Klimt