My presentation will be poetry from my chapbook of poems "Given the Trees" as part of a panel: Honoring the Heartland: Midwestern Poets Celebrate Richness of Place. I will be reading poetry that shares description of Michigan's flora and fauna, invoking as well the spirit of the place. Some of my locations are Grand Rapids; others are in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Poem titles will be "Woodland Lexicon" as well as others: "Creed," "Spirit Bundle," "Hamadryad," and "Plein Air Panegyric." The panel will also discuss environmental issues of the Midwest. My contribution will be concerns over invasive species and water quality, as well as my poetic offerings.