“Voices of the Bosque” will feature voices of our community. It is a place where we can share what the Bosque means to us, why we are grateful to have this natural place as part of our city, why we come here to walk or pedal along, to witness the changing seasons, to observe the birds and other wildlife, to enjoy the solace and peace and beauty of nature, and why we want this area to be preserved and protected­--not developed.

Please email your letters/essays/poems/reflections (250-1000 words) to be considered for “Voices of the Bosque.”  We will also accept photos, artwork and video to be considered for our Visions of the Bosque section.
 

"Hozho" by Lyla June Johnston
 

When Lyla June Johnston read her poem “Hozhó” at the "To the Bosque, With Love" letter writing rally, it resonated with many. Hozhó speaks to our desire for wholeness and ecological and human restoration.

"Hozhó is the healing of broken bones," Lyla said. "Hozhó is every drop of rain/ it is every leaf on every tree /it is every eyelash/ it is every feather on the bluebird's wing/ Hozhó is undeniable beauty." 

Lyla reminds us that a direct translation of this important Navajo concept does not exist. In his landmark work, "The Navajo," Western anthropologist and long-term enthographer Clyde Kluckhohn wrote:

"There are, however, some abstract words, extremely difficult to render in English, which are of the greatest importance for the understanding of Navajo philosophy. Perhaps the most significant of these is conveyed by the Navajo root hozho...in various contexts it is best translated as ‘beautiful’, ‘harmonious’, ‘good’, ‘blessed’, pleasant’, and ‘satisfying’. As a matter of fact, the difficulty with translation primarily reflects the poverty of English in terms that simultaneously have moral and aesthetic meaning."