rpemilliS~,,~~OOIS / ,/ / Woman and Nature, The Roaring IIlside Her, by Susan Griffin, 1978, $3.95 (paper), from: Harper Colophon Books Harper & Row 10 East 53rd Street New York, NY 10022 Saturday, Feb. 16, 1980 Began Woman and Nature and learned that the book records many voices. That the first of these reflects on the definition of matter. That matter is defined by linear thinking. Among the descriptions of matter is the history of women burned for their wisdom (wicca meaning wise, meaning witch). I think as I read about the talk I will deliver today at an anti-draft rally. "Women," I will say, " are the victims of every war. We arc the spoils of war. " The morning's paper tells of two previously convicted rapists and their horde of photographs of 500 women. That 40 of the women are missing. That five are known to have been tortured, raped , mutilated and murdered. That the mother of one identifies her daughter's tape-recorded voice " screaming and begging for mercy" while she is tortured, raped, and finally murdered. Asleep, I dream of 4.2 million (half the number of witches murdered) draft-age women armed and trained to avenge the mother and her daughter. I am sick all night. Monday, Feb. 18, 1980 "We say there is no end to any act. The rock thrown in the water is followed by waves of water, and these waves of water make waves i C; .... . 01 01 ..c: ... Q .. 6 ~ -1:: 1ii .. •• 01 1::.. ..> -t: .. 01 :1_ ·~e -'" t:'c Q 01 r:>.e ..- Q .!l ~ ·Sc .. 01); -~.. ~ .!l ~ c"'" Q Q '" .... ~ 01 .;::: "Q ~§ ..c: Q .. 01 , .0.. Q ... N"Q :.= c ~ .. in the air, and these waves travel outward infinitriy, settinx particles in motion, leading to other motion and motion lipan motion endlessly . ... We say in every particle every act lives. " Griffin reminds us that they'll cut off the top of the mountain and carve out the ore. They'll sell this to fill their banks. I think of Butte, Montana. I recall my horror at the second largest manmade hole in the world. Saturday, Feb. 23 , 1980 All week 1avoided the book. I was angry and depressed. I worked in the garden . Gradually rwas restored. Today I finished rl'ading it. " We heard of this woman who was out of control. We heard that she was led by herfeeiings. That her emotiolls were violent . .. That certainly her life should not be an example to liS. (The life of the plankton depends on the turbulence of the sea.)" . To describe Griffin's sources, numerous, varied, documented, her years of search/research would be, I think, a misdirection. What she has done is weave together the pieces of history, the con struction of logic, the habits and techniques of dominance. These she telis to illustrate the connection between harnessing a planet and silencing women. Of course the planet has rebcled.. "The equation lor oxygen stays in his mind but he cannot breathe what Ill' IIsed to call air." . .. "Eve ry attempt he makes to order this world decrease s his spact'." . And the women-ROAR. " This above all, we 'lC;VC /l ever denied ollr dreams . ... We do not dellY our voices. We arc disorderly. We have often disturbed the peace. Indeed, we study chaos-it points to theluture. The oldest al1d wisest among liS can read disorder." -CC
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