The Sound of Silence

 

 

We have no words to describe the silent movement beneath the earth that causes a mushroom to appear in the morning.  Last night, it wasn’t there.  This morning, here is a creamy white umbrella? Alien space ship? Group of fairies?

There is no word in English to describe this creation of vegetation.  English, with all its nouns lacks the descriptive power to name the action of a mushroom appearing.  It’s a force which causes mushrooms to appear overnight.  Not even in science, botany, etc. is there a term, vocabulary, noun, or action verb to describe this mystery.  Scientific language defines many terms, but this particular action is beyond its grasp. 

Only in Native American is there a word.  Leave it to Native Americans, who lived so close  nature to hear that sound of a mushroom being created under the earth.  The word is “Puhpowee.”  It means “rising,” “emerging,” responding to the spirit.

I learned this word from the book, Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer.  She is a Native American who is a botanist, scientist and professor.  This is a book of short stories about nature that she has learned from her elders. She writes beautifully.  I am enjoying her mystical history of nature.  She writes like a poet with metaphors of images of cedar trees, wild strawberries, maple syrup, and the fragrance of sweetgrass.  These images are staying with me as I read and I hope will be a permanent picture in my mind, for a long time.