island of healing

I approach the island with its marshland grasses and reeds, standing at the prow of a slow-moving canoe in the sun. Though it is only a narrow waterway that separates this island from the mainland, still, it is an island, distinct. People don’t live here. Animals do, but not people, yet I’ll be staying for a while. It is the island both of healing and of wounds, because the two are the same in this place. It’s where I come to get the medicine.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit briancshort.substack.com