Motley Kamuka

She was a poet of place in Wisconsin. Lorine Niedecker (1903–1970) didn't want her poems published in her lifetime, but she had her poems published in England and Japan. She lived most of her life in rural isolation. She was born on Blackhawk Island, not an island, outside of Fort Atkinson, off Lake Koshkonong, closer to Mud Lake. She was born May 12th 1903. Links: Friends of Lorine Niedecker Wikipedia Video about Lorine Niedecker with Ann Engelman, the president of the Friends of Lorine Niedecker. Poetry Foundation . Margo Peters (2011) did a biography ( link ) Archival research documents online My Life By Water ( YouTube ) Newspaper profile  I rose from marsh mud I rose from marsh mud, algae, equisetum, willows, sweet green, noisy birds and frogs to see her wed in the rich rich silence of the church, the little white slave-girl in her diamond fronds. In aisle and arch the satin secret collects. United for life to serve silver. Possessed. My friend tree My friend tree ...

 To live content with small means. To seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion. To be worthy not respectable, and wealthy not rich. To study hard, think quietly, talk gently, act frankly, to listen to stars, birds, babes, and sages with open heart, to bear all cheerfully, do all bravely, await occasions, hurry never. In a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common. This is to be my symphony.