One day I decided to create a book of my Eastern Shore photos featuring a sort of prose/poem passage on the left-hand page, and the accompanying photograph on the right. I selected one of my favorite shots—a mesmerizing murmuration of starlings exiting a winter-bare oak tree to assemble on the ground below.

As I sat and pondered what words this photo might inspire, I suddenly thought, “This calls for Laurie!” My daughter Laurel Anderson, is a prize-winning, published poet and a biology professor at Ohio Wesleyan University. Since both Laurie and I care deeply about the environment and make art focused on the natural world the idea of a collaboration intrigued me. I immediately sent her an email entitled “What would Laurie do?” explaining my idea. Soon I got a reply from Laurie saying, “Here, apparently, is what I would do,” and sent me a first draft of a poem entitled, “Gathering,”

You can read “Gathering” and view the murmuration photo here, as well as several others that we have assembled thus far in a “chapbook” format, meaning a collection of poems and photos that center on a common theme. Since the photos were taken on the Eastern Shore, which is situated beyond Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay Bridge from my home in the Washington, DC area, we have called this collaboration, “Beyond the Bridge.” We will add to this collection from time to time, so be sure and check back often. If you would like to be notified of new additions to “Beyond the Bridge,” just leave a message including your email here.

Finally, we welcome your remarks on this or any other aspect of this website.

Happy viewing!
Laurel and Dick