create a Diorama.

Three mothers.   An old one.  Middle one.  Young one.  Two midling  young ones,  an infant.  Goats.  Dog.  Cats…old and young.  Lizards all ages,  Worms,  unknown indeterminate.  Birds.   A tin shelter in an old forest at the top of a steep Hill  in a land of many steep hills and many forests.

There is no rain.  Sun prevails.  Forest leaves reflect and glisten.   Young mother is laid low from a malady of the immune system.  Her limbs are weak.   She lies down with the infant and they sleep through the early part of the day.  The old mother goes off with the dog to walk the perimeters, hoping  the dog can learn what is her business what might be Not.   The door of the tin shelter is left open and the old cat goes in and out.    

The old mother and dog enter the forest of the doe Goats,  who descend  upon them,  rushing to know their business,  gathering around as they walk,  mumbling amongst themselves.  The dog runs the outer circle.  Old mother sits on a   forest trunk that has somehow circled around and  back into the earth,  and feeling this,  also feels a pull of earth in her body.    There is a rustling and looking up, she sees the young cat high above ,  carrying a twig in her mouth.  

It goes this way until the Middle mother arrives with Goat feed and all go into motion.  Carrying the infant,  unloading and stacking,  feeding into the bowls.  Some bedding too,  here from rice straw that is soft and billowy  for the bedding in the tarp shelters of the buck forestyards.   They talk as they carry and spread.  The infant squeals,  waving her arms,   kicking her legs.  Middle mother has also brought seeds.  Slenderette Bush Beans,  OG Gourmet Salad blend Lettuce,  Scarlet Runner  Beans, Sweet Watermelon,  Buttercrunch Lettuce….just guessing because she is not much for planting,  but brings them as a gift.

Dusk nears and the Young mother goes off with the midlings to get food,  leaving the Old mother and the infant to hold their own.  Infant is feeling loss and is restless.  Old mother begins to sing and somehow,  in the midst of the singing,  finds HER SONG,  that is part song and part vibration and the infant recognizes and accepts this song as belonging to her too.  They sing and listen until the Young mother returns.  They eat.  They leave.  The Old mother sits with the dog and old cat and remembers back through the day.  Marking it inside her body.  

 

 

 

 

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26 responses to “field notes of the cultural anthropologist”

  1. Cheryl Avatar
    Cheryl

    Grace, this is so beautiful… your words, your rhythm, your grace.

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  2. Nancy Avatar

    Beautiful storytelling xo

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  3. jude Avatar

    and then sharing what moved through her.

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  4. Michele Avatar
    Michele

    I’m vibrating, thinking about Emrie reading this one day. Such a beautiful gift.

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  5. Liz A Avatar

    “How forest leaves reflect and glisten” … how old mother’s reflections likewise shine

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  6. Deb G Avatar

    Such a beautiful sounding day….

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  7. beth Avatar

    I see this so clearly, like a guided meditation.

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  8. grace Forrest Avatar

    the rhythm belongs to the day, as does the grace.

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  9. grace Forrest Avatar

    storytelling. i think deeply about that right now…How best the story can be told and hold clarity and truth

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  10. grace Forrest Avatar

    field notes. they take out the
    I
    and leave just the eye

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  11. grace Forrest Avatar

    it is my greatest wish that the words and pics will remain for her

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  12. grace Forrest Avatar

    and it was really, such a plain day

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  13. grace Forrest Avatar

    love this…guided meditation…
    Back in the day, we used to give eachother just that, our stories, as guided meditation, i love so much you said this

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  14. Michelle in NYC Avatar

    I felt it all.
    Lovely sharing.

    Like

  15. elizabeth Avatar
    elizabeth

    Thank you so much for this…beautiful storytelling…

    Like

  16. jaime Avatar
    jaime

    Love you, Grace.

    Like

  17. grace Forrest Avatar

    am glad to think that it is felt in NYC

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  18. grace Forrest Avatar

    thank you for coming here and sharing this world

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  19. grace Forrest Avatar

    love back, jaime. love back.

    Like

  20. Linda Avatar
    Linda

    Oh I loved it. So simple and perfect. All the young ones will read these words someday and remember you.

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  21. joanne Avatar
    joanne

    I feel like this some days when it is just the dog and I, looking at the yard-
    his world and I try and see what he sees. He goes and then looks back
    am I coming?… he will wait for me and then I will wait for him.
    Thank you

    Like

  22. grace Forrest Avatar

    i like this very much…he goes, waits, you wait for him
    what a good kind of love.

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  23. Angie Avatar

    I was transported there while reading this. You are a gifted story teller.

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  24. grace Forrest Avatar

    it’s the story. it tells itself. I transcribe.

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  25. dee Avatar

    Reading back. This is lovely. Like a fairy tale. I love the last line about marking it in her body.

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