the weeping grove

a mythological tale of REMEMBRANCE in nine parts

As we gather for Thanksgiving in the United States, I find myself reflecting on the deeper, often untold stories of the land we sit upon. In a time when divisions feel sharper than ever, I return to the land's memory, imagining what it might have witnessed and experienced when colonialism arrived at its shores. What pain did it carry? What truths does it hold in its roots and rivers, in its scars and whispers?

The Weeping Grove is a mythological tale in nine parts, blending fact and allegory to re-imagine different moments of in our shared history through the eyes of the land itself. It’s an invitation to sit with the complexity of the past, to see beyond the surface tale of a feast, and to consider the deeper lessons the land continues to teach us—if we’re willing to listen. By weaving together historical truths with poetic narrative, this approach to creative documentary offers a perspective outside of the confines of traditional storytelling frameworks.

Check out the sources of inspiration + notes on process section at the end of the story to learn more about my influences and the process of creating this piece.

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sources of inspiration + notes on process

The piece above draws inspiration from several books, stories, and frameworks that explore themes of spiritual ecology, indigenous knowledge, and humanity’s relationship with the natural world. Here are a few specific sources that influenced the work above:

• Braiding Sweetgrass | by Robin Wall Kimmerer
  Kimmerer's poetic and deeply reflective essays weave indigenous wisdom with scientific knowledge, emphasizing reciprocity, gratitude, and the interconnectedness of all life. Her reflections on how humans can live in harmony with the land greatly influenced the depiction of non-human beings as sentient, relational, and deeply affected by human actions.

• The Overstory | by Richard Powers
  This novel explores the lives of trees and their interconnected relationships with humans over generations. The use of trees as witnesses and keepers of memory in the story above echoes Powers’ portrayal of trees as ancient, sentient beings with agency and wisdom.

• Indigenous Oral Traditions and Mythologies
  Stories from indigenous cultures worldwide often portray the natural world as alive and imbued with spirit. The personification of Elm, Corn, River, and Grass draws from the way indigenous storytelling honors non-human entities as relatives with their own agency and roles in the web of life.

• Ceremony | by Leslie Marmon Silko
  This novel focuses on healing through reconnecting with land, memory, and community, themes that influenced the portrayal of the land's pain and eventual healing through remembrance and human humility.

• The Thanksgiving Myth and Indigenous Resistance
  Many Indigenous activists and writers have worked to reframe Thanksgiving as a Day of Remembrance, drawing attention to the genocide and dispossession experienced by Native peoples. These narratives influenced the story’s critical lens and its ultimate call for reflection and relational healing.

• Spiritual Ecology Movement
  Thinkers like Joanna Macy and Thomas Berry advocate for reimagining humanity’s place within the Earth community. Their concepts of "The Great Turning" and the sacredness of all life informed the story's hopeful conclusion and call to renewed relationship.

notes on process

As I created this piece, I grew curious about how the interplay of fact and fiction might unfold between nature and technology—specifically how artificial intelligence might visualize my story. To explore this, I used generative AI to create the accompanying images, with each verse of my poem serving as a prompt. The resulting visuals reflect not only my imagination, but also AI’s interpretation of my words. While the images offer a fascinating blend of human creativity and technology, the process revealed the limitations and biases of the current AI systems—evident when terms like “genocide” and “supremacy culture” were flagged as violations. This served as a stark reminder of how those shaping the future continue to perpetuate narratives of the past.