A natural wonder

This morning, on our way to the Leopold Center, we found several fields full ion flocks of cranes and Canada geese. Several years ago we found some cranes flocking up at the end of August, in fields much closer to home. Oon arrival at the center, we met a room full of a dozen or so writers seeking the wisdom that sits in places in the natural world. (If you get an opportunity too attend something like this, we strongly recommend doing so.) Today's poem bu Joy Harjo is one of the readings we used as a model.

sandhill cranes in St. Croix river valley fields

Photo by J. Harrington

We also got another chance to visit "The Shack." This time in full Summer. Leopold and family did lots of work turning a vacant sand farm into fields and wood lots full of life. We found ourselves wondering if it took more work to create the original sand county farm or to restore life to burned out land. Since we recognized a handful of plants at the Center, and some at The Shack, that also grow in our fields at home, we didn't feel as much as if we were in strange country. That's a good reason to learn your local wildflowers.

Aldo Leopold Center

Photo by J. Harrington

Tomorrow's a mostly travel day so we'll probably do a short posting again but we'll add some pictures of the non-writing high points. 'Til then.

She Had Some Horses

By Joy Harjo

I. She Had Some Horses

She had some horses.

She had horses who were bodies of sand.

She had horses who were maps drawn of blood.

She had horses who were skins of ocean water.

She had horses who were the blue air of sky.

She had horses who were fur and teeth.

She had horses who were clay and would break.

She had horses who were splintered red cliff.

She had some horses.

She had horses with eyes of trains.

She had horses with full, brown thighs.

She had horses who laughed too much.

She had horses who threw rocks at glass houses.

She had horses who licked razor blades.

She had some horses.

She had horses who danced in their mothers' arms.

She had horses who thought they were the sun and their

bodies shone and burned like stars.

She had horses who waltzed nightly on the moon.

She had horses who were much too shy, and kept quiet

in stalls of their own making.

She had some horses.

She had horses who liked Creek Stomp Dance songs.

She had horses who cried in their beer.

She had horses who spit at male queens who made

them afraid of themselves.

She had horses who said they weren't afraid.

She had horses who lied.

She had horses who told the truth, who were stripped

bare of their tongues.

She had some horses.

She had horses who called themselves, "horse."

She had horses who called themselves, "spirit," and kept

their voices secret and to themselves.

She had horses who had no names.

She had horses who had books of names.

She had some horses.

She had horses who whispered in the dark, who were afraid to speak.

She had horses who screamed out of fear of the silence, who

carried knives to protect themselves from ghosts.

She had horses who waited for destruction.

She had horses who waited for resurrection.

She had some horses.

She had horses who got down on their knees for any saviour.

She had horses who thought their high price had saved them.

She had horses who tried to save her, who climbed in her

bed at night and prayed.

She had some horses.

She had some horses she loved.

She had some horses she hated.

These were the same horses.

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