For Brand Windmiller
by Ethel Mortenson Davis
You take a boy,
ten or eleven,
and put him
into the wilderness,
let him do
the hard work
of boating
before the destructive
influences permeate him,
and
let the wilderness
finish his training.
Let him eat berries and nuts.
And let him hear the sound of
the red-eyed loon
as she carries her young
on her back.
If once is not enough,
bring him again.
Let the wilderness
do her work.
Early in the morning,
push the bow
into the darkness
as the white fog
sits on top the water.
fourwindowspress 
Those who are raised solely in towns and cities perhaps never become a complete human being. As ever you bring the reader to enter the moment of the here and now while being invited to look below the surface to discover greater movements of thought and feeling.
Thank you. We can’t be separate from the wilderness. Love Ethel
Not without damage.
Bravo Ethel…………….hope all is well with you both. love, Sayword
Nice to hear your voice again. We are okay. Love Ethel
I love this very much, “let the wilderness do her work.” Thank you my dear friend.
Love to you Elizabeth and to Harry. love Ethel
Another beautiful poem, Ethel. I agree with what Ben said.
It is the wilderness that should become a part of a young person’s psyche at a young age (instead of technology and all the falseness of that so-called reality). We are losing that rapidly and I fear for future generations….
Yes we are Betty. Love Ethel