Drumming – GREGORY ORMSON'S Notes, Articles, Blogs, Vlogs Gregory Ormson writes from the ecotone, the vibrant intersections of landscape, spirituality, and physical presence. His essays and poems have appeared in literary journals, anthologies, and print magazines. Author of *Yoga Song* and other works, Ormson blends lyrical observation with grounded reflection drawn from his Midwestern roots and global travels. He lives in Arizona and Wisconsin, seeking stillness where stories emerge like bears.

July 19, 2025

everything was NOISE and splinters

Thanks to Brief Wilderness for publishing. Direct link https://briefwilderness.com/2025/07/19/everything-was-noise-and-splinters-by-gregory-ormson/ Growing up, I didn’t think I was fat or stupid even though my mother said I was. She didn’t say it all the time, just enough that it registered; but I didn’t feel the full weight of ridicule until I wrote a poem when I was

ANCHORS: For Kristen and Greg on their 25th anniversary

One good thing about Facebook is that every now and then someone reaches from the past and makes contact with us in the present. This is the case from someone that contacted me yesterday and I’m glad he did. Today (Aug. 13) is Kristen and Greg’s 25th wedding anniversary. Back then, I was the officiant

DRUMS: The Language of Time (an excerpt).

Five days ago, I went to a drum circle attended by about 50 people. It brought me back to my essay in progress. Drumming takes place through the night until a last tired thumper wanders away in the fog of exhaustion. Their fully-charged reptilian brain shifts to the goal of finding their tent. Some can’t