by Ethel Mortenson Davis
Heaven
An astronaut that repaired
the Hubble spacecraft
said recently
that when he stepped out
on his first spacewalk
and saw the lighted
blue and white earth
underneath him,
he knew
he was looking
at heaven.
I wonder how
we would have thought
of the land, the animals,
and the people
if we would have known
our earth was heaven?
If this was all the heaven
there will ever be?
Filed under Ethel Mortenson Davis, Photography, Poetry
by Ethel Mortenson Davis
“I run because it is my culture.”
“My father is not there for me
because he is a drunk.”
“The runners with me
are my family.”
“My culture says that I must greet
the sun by running.”
“I think about my future
when I am running.”
“I think about what my life
is going to be.”
Filed under Ethel Mortenson Davis, poems, Poetry
by Ethel Mortenson Davis
The earth dresses in
the cloak of humanity,
but it does not fit.
Filed under Ethel Mortenson Davis, poems, Poetry
photographs by Ethel Mortenson Davis
Filed under Ethel Mortenson Davis, Photography
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.
Filed under Ethel Mortenson Davis, poems, Poetry
by Ethel Mortenson Davis
Tonight, black cricket,
if you sing your golden song,
you can have my room.
Filed under Ethel Mortenson Davis, poems, Poetry
by Ethel Mortenson Davis
The water lotus
should not be so beautiful
in this war-torn world.
Filed under Ethel Mortenson Davis, poems, Poetry
Write on Door County is one of the premier writer’s retreats in the Midwest. In addition to providing a 40 acre property in the woods that attract writers who want to refresh their spirits and spend a week or so writing, Write On provides workshops, readings, and what sometimes an endless round of events for writers and those interested in writing.
Ralph Murre and Sharon Auberele, two of Door County’s absolutely finest poets, publish a different Door County poet on the website on a regular basis. On August 1 they published Ethel’s poem, “The Design Teacher.” You can see the poem at http://writeondoorcounty.org. While you’re on the site you might look around if you are at all interested in writing and writers.
Filed under Essays
by Ethel Mortenson Davis
Wilderness embraces us
this wet morning
with pictures of chaos.
Fractals,
repeating patterns
of symmetry
that quiets,
sets our minds free.
These lovely patterns
in trees, rivers, coastlines,
mountains, and seashells
give us designs that are graceful. . .
like the wild dogwood,
a signature tree in the forest,
whose fractal symmetry
is like no other.
The most beautiful grace
I have ever seen
brings rest to our minds —
our souls.
Filed under Ethel Mortenson Davis, poems, Poetry
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