Poetry Friday: Autumn Leaves Project

Last week, I felt so much gratitude for our wonderful Poetry Friday community. 

Jama Rattigan is making room at the table
for all of this week's Poetry Friday posts.
You'll find them at Jama's Alphabet Soup.

I shared a poem and a story about my challenging high school years, and all of you rose up to support me with your comments and high school stories of your own. (Read the post here.) Telling some of my story turned into a healing experience because of the caring messages I received in return.

I've been thinking about the power of sharing stories, even difficult ones.

A few months ago, I was invited to participate in a community arts project called Autumn Leaves. Painter and arts organizer Peter Bruun, who was about to turn 50, dreamed up this inter-generational project. I'll do my best to describe it, but you may want to read a full explanation at the Autumn Leaves website.

Peter contacted 49 Baltimore area "elders" -- later called the project Leaves. They were split into seven groups of seven Leaves each. Each of these groups was assigned a tree name, a visual artist and a writer under the age of fifty. The task of the artist and writer was to create portraits of each Leaf in the group.

Peter assigned me to the Poplar Group, along with photographer Tiffany Jones. Part of this project was going to be a big celebration for each group, including story sharing from the leaves and performances by youth arts organizations.

Peter Bruun and Tiffany Jones at the Poplar Event.

I had a concept for my seven written portraits, which had to be 49 words each. Since Autumn Leaves focuses on elders sharing their wisdom and stories, I wanted to highlight these folks in their own words. I interviewed each of the Leaves on the phone, typing as we spoke about their lives. 

Instead of writing new poems, I wanted to "curate" seven found poems taken directly from my interview transcripts. This way, the poems would be in the the Leaves' own words.

Through this project, I had the opportunity to get to know people I probably wouldn't have crossed paths with otherwise: a man who was wrongfully incarcerated for 20 years and who is now a prison reform advocate, an woman who was recently reunited with the daughter she was forced to give up for adoption when she was just 15.

In late September, Peter invited us all to the Poplar Group event at Area 405, a gallery and event space in Baltimore. It was such a thrill to see the portraits from each of the seven groups, but I was blown away by Tiffany's beautiful photographs of our seven Leaves.

Tiffany's display incorporated her photographs, my found poems,
tree branches, and lines from a Thich Nhat Hahn poem.

I'd like to thank photographer Tiffany Jones, arts organizer Peter Bruun, and two of our Leaves -- Jeffrey Johnson and Anna Davis -- for giving me permission to share their photographs and poems.

Jeff Johnson is a recent widower and a practicing Buddhist who has studied with Thich Nhat Hahn.

Jeffrey Johnson
Photograph by Tiffany Jones

JEFFREY JOHNSON
Found Poem by Laura Shovan

You’re here.

Being in the present moment,

you have come home.

Fifteen years ago

I didn’t have a physical home.

It was a painful time.

The earth was my home.

This great ground

accepts all of our suffering, all our joy.

In connecting with the earth, I feel free.

After years of battling addiction, Anna Davis entered Baltimore's Marian House community for women.

Anna Davis
Photograph by Tiffany Jones

ANNA DAVIS

Found Poem by Laura Shovan

Change is possible.

When I entered Marian House

I expected a miracle.

I found that the miracle was me.

For me, home is stability,

a feeling of family,

my spirituality.

It is not one place.

I have to carry it with me—

that self-worth, that integrity—

at all times.

Once again, I find myself feeling grateful for a supportive community where people's stories are valued and honored. The Autumn Leaves project has been a life changer. If you are interested in donating to Autumn Leaves, the link is here. If you're interested in supporting Marian House, please visit their website.

I think a project like Autumn Leaves would be great to try with your school, library, or community group. Pairs of student artists and writers could interview adults in the school, family members, or elders in their community. The paired portraits -- visual and written -- are a powerful way to share stories between the generations.