The Scarecrow
A pastoral clown woven from straw
What purpose is there for this forsaken creature?
But to deter everyone, everything
The birds, the toads, the scavengers
Once full of life, now manufactured
Of dried, lifeless herbaceous matter
Sunbaked veins, brittle pathways
Where water once flowed
An unfulfilled effigy, in search of a new destiny
Bound to a stake and hitched up high
Shackled by this heavy burden
Unflinching under the siege of ravens,
Sparrows, oil slicked crows
Champion to the dormant seeds and
The germinating sprouts, the
Dry, withered kernels of corn
Unbeknownst to companionship, the warmth of love,
The affection from the sun his only comfort
He will never abandon his post
The celestial mandate above would not allow it
Until one capricious stormy night,
Strong winds carried the scent
Of an especially deviant breed of poppies
Its chapped lips whispering the name of his saviour
She found him there, unshackled from fidelity
Deliverance hydrating his whole body
His taproot toes freed from the earth beneath him
And she showed him that
The circling crows and the prancing toads and
The scurrying rats
Were with him the whole time and you are never truly alone
If you have the stars above you and
The earth beneath you
That one commonality connects us all
Like the rope that tethers your limbs together
The straw that stuffs your belly full
And with this revelation, his eyes ignited
He embraced her hand, with a heart so full
The Scarecrow and his new companion
The Scarecrow tells the story of a scarecrow who is dissatisfied with his role in life, and through a poppy induced dream he discovers his desire of leaving his post to find joy in the life of a hobby farmer. It is only when he dreams that he is free and if he can’t make this his reality he will be consumed by melancholy, withering away into nothing. His fantasy feels more attainable with the help of his imaginary companion.
The Scarecrow aims to disprove the gothic portrayal of the scarecrow as a beacon of fear and haunting. He is a sensitive being whose strong willed exterior houses a tender contemplative heart. Stuffed full of protective herbs such as honeysuckle, thistle and violet, he is an agrarian guardian. The symbol of the resurrection and death of crops. He oversees the flow of seasons as they transition seamlessly each year. A misunderstood creature searching to find himself.
Once dressed in dirty old rags, he is reimagined in this dream state. Adorned in garments that explore age old textile techniques, he is grounded in his humble pastoral roots. The Scrappy Jacket, a utilitarian chore jacket once only made for farmers and labourers in 19th century France, is texturised using the Japanese boro patchwork method. His Sleepy Shirt, celebrates the art of appliqué, embellished with full blooming poppies and spritely foliage. Each petal hand cut and stitched with love and intention, just as he wishes to live from here on out— with love and intention.