The Etetung

by Emily MacGriff

I saw water music
whomping women
women wearing leaves
and their hair breathing 
in baritone stretches of precipitate
I shook the waves –
rubber and rudder 
pointed in from the surf
wanting to call back in
stomp, brush, slap
scoop, smack
gulp, spray, gasp 
wanting an answer 
swish, smash, sing
sway, say something, just
arms 
                                           leaf
            head 
                           leaves
                                                   breast 
                                     bottom
                                                          belly 
                                                  leaves
the strings of music in the empty 
bits of me, my history and feet 
be silent, it’s all
the engine drop,
                            rain, 
                           my own chest’s cascade
it’s all
the chimes I cry,
and cloud. 

Emily’s work pulls largely from her experience working aboard expedition ships as a marine biologist/wilderness guide in the polar regions, South Pacific and British Isles. She is mostly retired from shipbound work and focused on navigating life as a woman, artist and mother.  She’s based in Detroit and received an MFAW from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2022.