A Moment
the tree feels lucky to survive
+ on [their] road to recovery
[they] wear [their] scars
with pride and continues
to get stronger day to day
here, now, [we] somehow
feel like lichens tell [us]
“you are still alive”
“we have lived much
longer than you, ha ha”
[we] feel very s l o w at
accessing [our] emotions
[we] feel connected to that tree
+ thinking about [our] own scars
[we are] lucky
that [we are]
invited to come here
the campfire has seen the river change
and people change with [them]
[our] colours are always changing
[we] feel like we on the edge of nature
the river separates us
from modernity & nature
time feels less mechanical
more real
of the edge
on the border
slower & faster at the same time
there is no such a thing as time
the forest remembers
[us] came to this forest this morning
and humans (& non-humans)
coming here
since long ago
the day that
lightening struck
sometimes bad things
just happen
[we] almost
lost [our] life to
a silly mistake
lichens have survived
by relying on branches
and logs where they
feel comfortable
[we] hope to feel lucky again
[we] dont want to see the coat
and the tent
[we] hope everything remains
and the forest flourishes in the meantime
[we] hope to see more people
and learn of their past
& their futures
[we] want to
be recycled
and used
[we are] always
returning
Authors
A collaborative place-based story from Gateshead Riverside Park, transcribed here as crafted and captured in place on Friday 08 December 2023, between 10:00 and 12:00 GMT, by Marcus Beeby, Ruth Brickland, Lotte Dijkstra, Kazusa Hayashi, Mehmet Sebih Oruç, Paul Trickett and the more-than-human beings and vibrant matterings present.
•
HERE, NOW
•
TIME FEELS DIFFERENT HERE
•
THE FOREST REMEMBERS
•
WHEN WE RETURN
• HERE, NOW • TIME FEELS DIFFERENT HERE • THE FOREST REMEMBERS • WHEN WE RETURN
For a moment, we allowed ourselves to experience urban forest time. We investigated the more-than-human connections in and with Gateshead Riverside Park, using our bodies, personal stories, and collaborative place-based explorations. During and after each prompt, we record our responses. This is the urban forest story we uncovered.