Journal of Writing & Environment

Visual Art by Danelle Stamps

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Danelle Stamps is a permaculture farmer in Southwest Iowa, mother of three, and mommy blogger.

Researching Ossabaw Island pigs (which we raise in timber on our farm), I traveled to Georgia and joined a writer’s retreat on the island. My poet persona has haunted me since I changed tracks in school and studied architecture instead of writing. I refound the love of poetry near the junk yards and palm trees, while tracking wild pigs and avoiding alligators. Ossabaw Island has been occupied by humans for 4000 years. One of the live oaks is said to be 600 years old. Yet, the island is undeveloped and wild. Walking with a friend, we found the auto graveyard. There are no bridges or roads to the island, so machines die and are left in this live oak grove. Another photo was taken when I encountered an alligator while alone. I quickly took the picture and sent it with a GPS location to a friend on mainland. That morning it was only 50 degrees and I realized that the reptile would be slowed by the cold, so I walked carefully back to the hunting lodge I was staying at for the retreat.

Ossabaw Island (One) by Danelle Stamps

Photograph

Ossabaw Island (Two) by Danelle Stamps

Photograph

Ossabaw Island (Three) by Danelle Stamps

Photography

A black and white version of this image originally appeared in the Portland Review.