What we know
1835 - 1895
Carpenter and blacksmith1 at the Sugar Boy Mine. Married Alvina (1845-1931). Two living sons, Joey and Jimmy.
Ears
His first memory was of maple leaves
whispering their secrets into him.
He listened to the thick waters of
the Missouri lapping slowly on the banks
as it merged into the murmurs of
voices, of his mother's laughter
far into the night. As he grew, sounds
spilled their liquid meanings into him,
in daily recitations of facts, of love,
of hatred, of despair, of fear, of hope.
He knew the sounds of them all, even the
sounds of his Alvina crooning far into the night.
On the way out West, Alvina sang with him,
voices trilling in soft slurries of prarie grasses.
The fever caught him unawares. Joey's moans
and Jimmy's screams muffled themselves against
the tears across Judy's brow. Alvina's song darkened
into a croak, a mutter, finally a thickened barrier
no sound ever crossed again.
Connections

Portal
Sources
Portal Caption and links Sketch of inner ear adapted from Magnus Gustaf Retzius 1842–1919.
Judy Heollstar lost in the canals of hearing.
Alvina Heollstar lost in the spirals of sound.