Summer 2007
The North Dakota landscape is awe inspiring. One can easily imagine roaming herds of buffalo. It is a beautiful place, and I am glad to be here. But it is also a difficult and sad place to be. I'm in Stanton, North Dakota. It is a tiny town north and somewhat west of Bismarck. This is where Lewis and Clark met Sakakawea, the young Shoshone woman who accompanied them. The sense of what was is palpable here. But the story of removing indigenous people and erasing their culture is ongoing. Look for a DVD entitled Waterbuster to learn about the Garrison dam and the Fort Berthold Indian Resevation. I continue to offer readings via phone, and I'm doing a bit of writing. No food co-ops anywhere near, so I visit the local farmers' markets two or three times a week. All in all, it's an excellent place to spend some time. We expect to be here into September. Then, who knows where?
See the water tower? That's Stanton. (Population 315) Between the tower and the hills is the Missouri River. Those smokestacks on the hill are a coal power plant. The landscape is dotted with them. In fact, Deb is working at a power plant just downriver from Stanton. The plants burn local coal. One of the many things I didn't know about North Dakota is that it is a major coal producing state. The coal mines and power plants provide work for a lot of the local people, and for many imports, like Deb. The plant where Deb is working is about to do a "turn around," which will require 400 new workers. They'll come from all over. Where Is Jett?
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