(what manifests in spaces no longer veiled)
mausoleum. sepulcher. catacomb.
Mingus Mill is one of the park’s most visited attractions.This audio recording was captured 12 steps away from its bridge.
open tomb. thin crypt. stolen in labyrinth.
Less than 60 seconds away from that bridge are public restrooms and a large, concrete paved parking lot. On the day of recording, the parking lot was dominated by SUVs and compact cars with Ohio and Pennsylvania license plates.
there are many ways to say ‘national park’ in the south
souf like unresolved history not ‘we’re heading’
desecrated. divine. space.
The National Park Service recognizes this area as the Enloe Slave Graveyard. Visitors have made the habit of leaving coins on the shallow, unmarked graves marked in this space.
there are few ways to cleanse ‘protected & preserved’ lands in America
america like north, colonies, and trafficking, not ‘indivisible’ with madam libertas in copper.
each way is bruised soft,
free of rot, and loud, in loosened refrains from my mouth.
At 5,086ft elevation, The Purchase, aka Appalachian Highland Learning Center, was… my place of residence on Oct 20th of 2020. This audio was recorded around 2230hrs, as I waited for signs of the Orionids Meteor Shower.
Hours before, I was in the middle of a dialogue around the question, “What makes this park unwelcoming?” The answers (and their exploration) were rooted in the senses.
