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Three poems by Lorna Crozier
Poet Lorna Crozier has been a driving force in British Columbia poetry for decades. She’s received the prestigious Governor General’s Award for poetry, and published 17 books of verse. This weekend, read the poems online at Cascadia Magazine: “Jellyfish,” “Thoreau Said a Walk Changes the Walker,” and “Wolves.”
The poems evoke the nearly-magical power that the natural world has to transform us, especially if we’re paying attention to the details.
“There are weeks in the forest
when your whole body is
a word even you can’t utter
but the trees, in their
deep listening,
hear.”
Read the full poems online at Cascadia Magazine here.
Mobile shower unit for homeless debuts in Salem
The Statesman Journal reports on a new mobile shower unit that opened in Salem, Oregon this week. The three showers will serve an estimated 1,000 homeless people in Salem and surrounding counties. Studies show people are more willing to seek help, treatment, and services with better hygiene. Meanwhile, pranksters in Seattle drew attention to misuse of a city app to “call in” homeless encampments by flooding the system with bogus reports (of tents inside REI, for example). And Eugene Weekly looks at how canine companions can help people without a home get their lives together.
Oregon State University hacks down 400-year-old trees
The Oregonian reports that Oregon State Univeristy’s forestry department recently clear-cut a 16-acre stand of old-growth forest, including some massive, 400-year-old Douglas-firs. drawing condemnation from students and environmental groups.
To call for OSU president Edward J. Ray’s resignation, contact legislators in Oregon here, or governor Kate Brown’s office here.
Ancient Indigenous people on Vancouver Island ate geoducks
The Tyee reports that archeologists in a dig on Vancouver Island have confirmed that Nuu-chah-nulth people were eating geoducks (giant clams) over 500 years ago. The finding could help solidify First Nations claims for legal rights to shellfish harvests in BC. In other foodie news, Vancouver hosts its first vegan food festival this weekend. And OPB looks at efforts to grow and commercially harvest a species of native seaweed (Palmaria mollis) that apparently tastes like bacon.
New WA law aims to keep guns from convicted abusers
Crosscut reports on new laws that take affect this week that require police to confiscate firearms from people accused of domestic violence— a King county prosecutor says the law will “will provide greater protections for victims of domestic violence, and strengthen the protections for victims of stalking, harassment and sexual assault.”
Charles Mudede on crow noise and human noise
The Stranger’s ever-fascinating Charles Mudede writes about returning from a trip to Detroit and being awoken in Seattle early the morning after by an apolcalyptic ruckus of crows cawing. Mudede compares such cacophony to the speech of humans, which has been shown in studies to terrify most creatures. And if you haven’t already, be sure to read poet Fiona Tinwei Lam’s “Ode to a Crow” at Cascadia Magazine.
Randy Fred on being given a new Nuu-chah-nulth name
At Geist, Randy Fred talks about a Nuu-chah-nulth ceremony in Port Alberini BC, where, at the age of 68, he was given his first Indigneous name. “Christina gave me the name “Wickee Cussee,” which translates to “No Eyes.” This is certainly not a traditional name, but I like it. I even prefer it to the word that translates to “blind.”” Read the full essay here.
That’s today’s reading from all across the gorgeous Cascadia bioregion. Oh and one correction from yesterday’s newsletter: an article on women entrepreneurs in Oregon’s burgeoning sex toy industry had the incorrect link the to the Willamette Week article. You’ll find it here (and we won’t tell if you click on it!) Have a great weekend, and we’ll see you next week. –Andrew Engelson
Photo credit: geoduck courtesy of Evergreen State College via Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0