In the Shadows

By Carol “Kate” Wilburn

In the shadows of the Fort
Native plants root on rubbled soil
Chokecherries, bluebunch
Seliš voices echo
Ghosts of vanished bitterroot, buffalo

Settler. I tend this Earth. Love it too. Where is
Wholeness?
Grapple beyond shame. Behind hidden stories.
Below confusion.
Seek. No gold star. No magic wand. Inquire.

Ravens cry, mountains ring, river runs
Silent sweet holding

What if we stand together this time
Toward a different shared ground

Just a whisper comes on the gentling air

What if?

—

Carol "Kate" Wilburn cherishes the wild Land, is keenly aware of legacy across generations. Her life's terrain is diverse: engineering, homesteading, single parenting, permaculture design, teaching, activism. She endeavors to stand as an Earth-protector and as a settler-ally to Indigenous neighbors. A naturalist at her core, she celebrates nuanced Life and its intense beauty. Her art & poetry offer vivid contrasts in words, strong shapes, light, dark. Passionate over current challenges, she also illustrates & writes children's stories that imagine new possibilities.