WANDERING

 

We wander through a world clouded by a gray mist

Among the changing, shapeless forms, loving or indifferent

Marking us

The truth, as always, is there

Waiting to be uncovered

As we seek to claim that part of the infinite which belongs to us

Focusing inward we penetrate the heavy veil

And glimpse with blinding clarity

What is meant to be

At that fleeting moment – when inward and outward are one

We encounter our own truths – reflected by a willing soul

Rejoice and reap the harvest sowed in darkness

It must sustain us through the lean seasons

Until the next fruitful encounter

1/78

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QUESTIONS

By our questions we are known,

The questions are the source of light – the seasoning,

More important then the answers,

Knowing what questions to ask.

Do not despair the questions,

They arise from within,

Laden with wisdom beyond understanding.

The journey is guided by our questions.

1/78

It becomes inevitable.

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NOW

I have been standing – waiting – waiting

Waiting to move closer to the edge

Slowly – imperceptibly – moving toward the brink

Slowly – imperceptibly – removing myself from those around me

The path wanders, my journey falters, appearing to cease

But always – always moving closer to the edge

Where I must step up to the brink and declare my faith

And the willingness to stand alone – and face the darkness

1/19/78

THE SONGS OF LIFE

THE SONGS OF LIFE

 

A sweet gentle song

Springing from my soul

Nurtured by God’s love and caring

The rhythm moves slowly

about me

Calling me

The song has no beginning and no end

Always being

Always calling

I know this song - this song will lead me

I will follow in its path

A path that has always been open

But always closed.

This song will guide me on this journey

This song is the journey.

5/77

THE SONG

 

The song of my life

Of my heart

Of my soul

Rises from within.

A force of freedom and liberation

Straining against my breast

Longing to be released

A struggle for freedom that can be mine

The way of the soul

The song

Is difficult

Is lonely

is frightening.

10/77

STILLNESS

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STILLNESS

Be still my soul,

Like still waters

Waiting for God, Reflecting God’s love.

Listen my soul,

With attentive ears listen for His word.

It comes quietly,

Like birds in the night air.

Hush my soul,

No need to speak,

I hear your music.

Do not fear my soul,

I will not turn away,

In your deepest silence I listen carefully to your music.

It is when you are so still…so quiet,

That I hear you most clearly.

Do not despair my soul,

I am learning to trust you,

To sing your song,

And dance your dance.

And though you belong to God,

And to the ages,

And to everyone, everywhere,

You are mine.

And as you reflect God…you reflect me.

1977

A DREAM

A DREAM

I am lying very still, as I never have before

I am lying very still upon this cold, hard Oak door

Submerged in total darkness, no light do my eyes see

Only stillness, only darkness pressing heavily on me

All around the door is stillness, as I strain to hear

Something other than myself to help dispel my fear

And as I force myself to think, to what may lie ahead

A sudden chill runs through my spine

Oh my God…I’m dead

3/2/78

FREEDOM

FREEDOM

Freedom from fear,

Freedom to be, to, and to see,

Free to feel, to sense, and to love.

The freedom born from within,

That lifts you up and carries you along the way.

The freedom to face God and ask…why?

The freedom to reach out and touch another,

To remove your mask and say, here I am,

But most of all, the freedom to trust,

To trust yourself,

To trust God’s presence in your life.

When you are free you can hear the music in your soul,

And dance the dance,

And sing the song.

When you are free, free from fear,

Then you can ask the questions.

spring of 1977

SPIRITUAL EVOLUTION?

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WHATEVER HAPPENED TO GOD?

Is God an idea that won’t work for me?

No – God must be.

Nothing ever happened to God,

Whatever happened to me?

11/22/76

A PASTA JOURNAL

After numerous requests (I really have had requests for this; numerous is obviously a subjective conclusion.) I've decided to make this book available to my readers and friends.  It was originally printed for my family with no intent to sell.

I will take orders for the book for the next several weeks.  To have it available for Christmas your order must be placed by December 16.

I 

Price - $50.00  

8.5 x 10.5"

spiral bound with protective plastic cover

76 pages

43 recipes selected from my year of pasta - each illustrated in full color,

plus photos, original art and comments by yours truly

To place an order email me at wfrenzulli@mac.com

payment by check, credit card, or paypal will be accepted

A JOURNEY IN WORDS

I Called His Name

  

I looked,

I called His name, again and again, I called,

I talked to others

I read, I listened.

And I called His name, alone, and I called with others.

I called in darkness and in stillness

I called in celebration, with noise and music.

I read, I reasoned, I argued.

I was angry, I was lazy, I was frustrated.

I pleaded with Him, I derided Him.

I refused to give in,

and I called his name still.

I called from a small room.

a crowded church,

a personal retreat.

I called him through four seasons.

Once He answered.

1977

THE JOURNEY CONTINUES

A SEARCH FOR GOD

I look for God - but first must find myself,

I look for self – but first must find wholeness,

I look for wholeness – but first must find my shadow,

I look for my shadow…….

I searched for God – and found a living soul.

9/7/76

BE STILL

Be still my day, and pass quickly into the night,

For things that you cannot provide

May be lost in the darkness of sleep.

But they are not lost,

They will always be,

For as I am,

They are me.

10/26/76

TO PAUSE OR NOT TO PAUSE?

I tell everyone I’ve been working on the Paducah Portfolio for a year. My wife tells them it’s been a lifetime.  We are both right.  The Paducah Portfolio is a natural extension of the work I was creating in the late 1970s and 1980s, illustrating the urban environment with watercolors, pen & ink, and markers.  Back then it was Wilmington Delaware and Philadelphia.  One year ago I devoted myself to the Paducah project.

Now it is all over but the shouting.  The artwork is hanging on the gallery walls, the book is back from the printer (and looking good!), the studio is being cleaned up, and the opening reception is 4 days away. 

There is only one problem.  This would be the perfect time for me to stop, take several deep breaths, and spend the next several weeks “recovering”, enjoying the respite.  But I’m finding that a difficult thing to do.  My mind wants to race ahead, building on my experiences of the past year, contemplating the next project on the horizon.  On one hand this bothers me; I feel this is the perfect time to take a break and let myself wander about for a few weeks. Who know what unexpected inspiration may penetrate my impatience.

On the other hand, at my age I am grateful tor the enthusiasm and impatience for my work.  It assures me that there is still so much for me to do, and perhaps more importantly, I am pushing at the boundaries of my work and entering new waters.

In an effort to fill this gap I’ve been reviewing old files and came across something I put together several years ago, a collection of poems and prose from some very old journals that I paired with recent art.  

A JOURNEY

***

 

I AM

I am a healer – I am a father – I am a friend

I am a husband – I am a lover

These things I am

I am thirsty, and drink from the deep well of my soul

I am hungry, and reach for  fruit along the way

I am cold, and seek warmth from the fire within my heart

I am lonely, and find my friends among the books

Am I an artist?

 1/5/78

THE ARCHIVIST

I find myself racing in opposite directions.  The future excites me with the promise of new work and new horizons to a degree I have not experienced in recent years.  At the same this excitement is duplicated as I review and organize my work from years past, putting digital files into hard copy books using software on my computer.

I am looking forward to using the experience gained from the yearlong project, the Paducah Portfolio, on a similar endeavor, with the specifics yet to be determined.  I enjoy being engaged in projects of this size and nature that offer a variety of creative challenges.

Even as I’m mentally planning and exploring new work, I have been busy reviewing and editing the photos of my older work, looking at ways of archiving the slides digital files into hard copy.  As far back as 1978, when I first began painting, I photographed all of my work.  The resulting slides were far from professional, but after having them commercially scanned in high resolution, I’ve been able to preserve reasonably accurate images with a little tweaking in Photoshop.  I’ve created the following photo books using online software:

 Contact me if you are interested in any of the above books.  I have them printed on demand and shipped directly to you.