GREEN NEWS & VIEWS
POWER OF POETRY
Here and Now (and After)
practices that seal bodies away from decomposition, natural burials embrace our return to the soil, turning our passing into new life. As more people learn about this path, they discover it’s not just about the environment. It’s about meaning: living and dying in alignment with our values. The Orchard Speaks Walk the orchard paths and you’ll hear the wind move through pecan leaves, the soft
BY SCOTT THOMAS OUTLAR Bury my bones beneath the dirt where trees once towered before civilization took hold.
When the time comes, let my remains bathe naked in the soil; no casket, no box, no boundaries except the caress of earth itself. Dance and sing atop the plot where I’m laid to rest, and make merry at a funeral filled with laughter.
crunch of soil beneath your feet, the whisper of trees that have seen generations come and go. Somewhere nearby, a new tree may be growing over a loved one’s resting place, turning memory into nour- ishment. There’s a peace here that can’t be faked. It comes from being in right relationship — with the land, with each other, and with the inevitable cycle we all share. In this orchard, death is not the end. It is simply part of the story. Other Green Burial Grounds in the DMV For readers exploring natural burial, here are a few oth- er green burial sites in the DC, Maryland, and Virginia area: • Reflection Park - Silver Spring, MD (https://reflectionpark.org/) • Serenity Ridge - Windsor Mill, MD (www.serenityridgemd.com • Cedar Hill Natural Burial Section - Suitland, MD (www.memori - alplanning.com/location/cedar-hill-funeral-home-and-cemetery) • Congressional Cemetery’s Green Burial Section - Washington, DC (https://congressionalcemetery.org/circle-of-life) • Cool Spring Natural Cemetery - Berryville, VA (www.virginiatrap- pists.org/cemetery) • Duck Run Natural Cemetery - Penn Laird, VA (www.duckrunceme - tery.com) • Greensprings Natural Cemetery Preserve - Charles Town, WV (www.naturalburial.org) Each site has its own story, but all share the same vision: offering a return to the land, and a final gift to the earth. Michael Judd is the co-founder of Morris Orchard, Natural Burial, and SilvoCulture, a nonprofit whose mission is to help plant 1 mil - lion nut trees across the Mid-Atlantic. Blending agroforestry, con - servation, and community action, his work regenerates landscapes while nourishing future generations. Michael lives with his family in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains near Frederick, Maryland. www.morrisorchardnaturalburial.com
But until that fateful day arrives, let our eyes flow with tears of joy, let our tongues tease out prayers of peace, let our lips shout words of love, and let our lives be spent
making the most of every moment with which we’re blessed.
Scott Thomas Outlar is originally from Atlanta, Georgia. He now lives and writes in Frederick, Maryland. His work has been nominated multiple times for both the Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net. His essay “Daydreaming Dystopia” placed second in the 2023 Bellarmine Goes Gonzo Writing Contest. He guest-edited the Hope Anthology of Poetry from CultureCult Press as well as the 2019-2023 Western Voices editions of Setu Mag . Selections of his poetry have been translated and published in 15 languages. He has been a weekly contributor at Dissident Voice for the past nine years. More about Outlar’s work can be found at 17Numa.com. e rs Landowners L a n d own
Agroforestry Agroforestry Projects Un l ock funding for Unlock funding for Projects
www.silvoculture.org/landowners www.silvoculture.org/landowners
PATHWAYS—Fall 25—23
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