Earth Is My Church

By Eric Scott Sutherland

"There are a few books of poetry that can change, if not your life, your way of living on this earth, make you more aware of and more grateful for what is sacred, more determined to protect what is left of that sacredness. This book is one of them. “The whole time,” Eric writes, “I was in conversation with God.” And

• Language: English
• Publisher: Accents Publishing, LLC
• Release date: Jan 10, 2020
• ISBN: 9781936628780

Book preview

Copyright © 2020 by Eric Scott Sutherland

All rights reserved

Printed in the United States of America

Accents Publishing

Editor: Katerina Stoykova

Cover Illustration: through the ferns, Cricket Press (Brian and Sara Turner)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2019957655

ISBN: 978-1-936628-54-4

ISBN: 978-1-936628-78-0 (e-book)

First Edition

Accents Publishing is an independent press for brilliant voices. For a catalog of current and upcoming titles, please visit us on the Web at

www.accents-publishing.com

CONTENTS

An Idealist Ponders Extinction

In the Medicine Bag

Gorge

Proof

Earth Evolving Flower

Light Now Like Feather

Mitakuye Oyasin

Becoming a Man

Becoming Vegetarian

A Native Speaks from the Grave

Fractured Appalachia

The Watchman

Old Frankfort Pike Is a Spine of Mine

Survival Mechanism

Lifeboat

The Tide

Kentucky Is My Body

Reclamation

Turtle Slow

Cone of Juvenility

Microcosm

How to Restore a Forest

Biomimicry

Religiosa

Suns and Moons

Off the Wagon Outside Waddy

Savior

Spiders

The Center

Good Mud

Allegiance

Mudroom Catharsis

Instructions

New Fire

Great Spirit Apprentice

Nothing Lasts Forever

Ruin

Disappear

Earth Is My Church

Pine Mountain: A Work in Progress

About the Author

Acknowledgments

There are no unsacred places;

there are only sacred places

and desecrated places.

—Wendell Berry

Humans are vulnerable and rely on the kindnesses of the earth and the sun;

we exist together in