Marjorie Moorhead
Marjorie Moorhead writes from a New England river valley, surrounded by mountains and four season change. She found a voice in poetry after surviving AIDS in its early years, and becoming a mother. Much of Marjorie’s work addresses survival, environment, relationship, and appreciation of the “everyday”. She would like to dedicate this particular poem to the Etna Library, where she listened to Dustin Coates explain his work, and to local libraries everywhere who foster learning and community.
“Dusty” Coates, Woodturner
What do you see in a Red Elm burl?
Dusty sees it hollowed out,
smoothed and oiled; all the warmth
of its core showing. Bands of color circling;
its bark forming the mountain shaped edge
of a bowl that calls out for touch.
What do you see in a Lilac branch?
Its arc shows Dusty the curved handle
of a spoon. The wood reveals hearts
to him in purply swirls.
He caresses them forth, soothing,
oiling, displaying the character he’s
seen from the start, through rough,
grey encasement.
Big sized, good natured, speaking in old-time
New England dialect,
Dustin Coates is a wood-wizard. A tree-
transforming super-hero whose power
is x-ray creative vision. His craft’s task:
show us the heart of the matter.
Sheila-Na-Gig online 