The Third Act

“It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.” ~Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

In writing classes and programs there’s a lot of talk about the importance of an author or poet’s voice. Emerging writers are urged to find theirs. Book club groups discuss authors who have it or don’t. We all know how impactful it is when words, lined up on the page in a certain way, are an arrow to the heart, speak to something fundamental in us all. A strong and unique voice makes us feel we’re in a trusted and private conversation with the author, like they’re our friend, our neighbor.

In my travels as Oregon’s Poet Laureate, I am meeting with folks who, whether writing cowboy poetry, reminiscences for grandchildren, a novel, a collection of poetry or a memoir, all want to learn more about lining their words up just so. It’s an odd phrase, “find your voice.” It’s as though our essential self was left in the supermarket or put away somewhere and forgotten. But it does get lost. Whether artist, attorney, or administrator, if we don’t pay attention, the day-to-day din of duties and distractions can silence it.

I was involved with five different activities in Harney County in April, arriving two days after the peak of what’s being called a once-in-a-lifetime flood in Harney County. Thousands of acres and hundreds of homes were still underwater. Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek had been quick to declare the county a state of emergency. Residents formed sandbag brigades to help neighbors protect their homes or evacuate to higher ground. Along with many other civic and community events, the popular annual Harney County Migratory Bird Festival was canceled but the majority of those who had registered donated their registration fees to offset the loss of revenue to Burns.

Driving home three days later, impressed as ever by what a strong and creative community Burns is, it suddenly hit me that every location I had visited (Harney County Library, Eastern Oregon Agricultural Research Center, Central Hotel, Malheur National Wildlife Refuge), and, by association, many of the people I’d had the pleasure of meeting, had recently been affected either by economic policy changes (businesses are experiencing operational cost increases across the board) or recent cuts in federal funding impacting everything from rangeland research, museums, and rural libraries to national parks. This month, it was the nation’s arts agencies’ turn to receive the notice that grants had been unilaterally withdrawn because their projects didn’t “reflect the nation’s rich artistic heritage and creativity as prioritized by the president.” This all makes me hopping mad and very fearful, but my hopping isn’t helping build community and consensus and anxiety isn’t good for anyone’s health.

In 2006, a couple in Burlington, Vermont, started something they called Front Porch Forum. Now, the majority of Vermont residents subscribe, sharing posts about lost dogs, block parties, neighbors needing assistance and more. Inspired by Robert D. Putnam’s book, “Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community,” Front Porch Forum co-founder (with his wife) and CEO, Michael Wood-Lewis, says, “Once people have an easy and safe way to communicate with neighbors, they will!” In a May 7 segment of Judy Woodruff’s “America at a Crossroads,” https://www.pbs.org/newshour/tag/america-at-a-crossroads, Wood-Lewis plays an example of how the Forum, free to users, connects people: “I don’t agree with John over there, but I know he’s a good guy because he helped me clean up my gutters last week.” Woods adds, “Unlike big tech social media, which is trying to pull you in and hold you in for 24/7, we really just want you for five or ten minutes a day. And then please put the phone down and go outside and talk to your neighbors.” Paul Lyons, a Forum user, is quoted as saying, “The only way you can connect with somebody is to connect with them.”

Now there’s a concept! It’s one Burns residents exemplify. And it’s one those of us pre-social media oldsters know about. We also know about history’s tendency to repeat good and bad elements of itself. Finding our elder voice in the third act and making it heard is important, whatever form that takes. The invitation is to make our conciliatory case in words and actions to strengthen our communities and help ensure any historic repetition is nothing but good news for democracy. Anger and fear aren’t helpful. What is helpful is stringing words just so across the pages of our lives, finding our voice in words and deeds that connect us.

—Poet and author Ellen Waterston resides in Bend. “The Third Act” is a series of columns on ageing and ageism.

This article appears in Source Weekly May 22, 2025.