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About Watt Childress

Watt owns Jupiter's Books in Cannon Beach, Oregon and he publishes the Upper Left Edge. He has written for HIPFiSH, The Daily Astorian, The North Coast Citizen, The Seaside Signal, The Oregonian, and The Vancouver Observer. Also Appalachian Magazine, The Kingsport Times-News, The Tennessean, The Third Eye, Farmazine, The Griot, and Presbyterian Survey. His lettered compulsion took a turn, thirty-some years ago, when he began sending odd columns to the Reverend Billy Lloyd Hults, former publisher of The Upper Left Edge. Watt lives on a tiny hill-farm perched beside the Nehalem Valley. There he and his kin care for dairy goats, chickens, ducks, dogs, newts and other critters.

Uncle Zech’s Amphibious Gestalt

April 20, 2025 by Watt Childress 9 Comments

Cultures native to Turtle Island consider frogs to be among the “first people.” Could this be a way of acknowledging elder relatives who can help humans jump back from desolation?
[Read More]

Filed Under: Culture, Featured Writing, Song and Dance, Spirit Tagged With: Abomination of desolation, Drunk with the blood of the saints, In hoc signo vinces, Spring Peepers

Everybody’s kin to Jesus (Part 1)

February 14, 2025 by Watt Childress 4 Comments

I reckon much of what’s happening now is a cultural reflux of what went down a while back, when rulers began using Jesus as a prop for colonization. Empire has co-opted spiritual leadership in this way for millennia.
[Read More]

Filed Under: Featured Writing, Spirit

Here Try Some of This Ointment

April 17, 2024 by Watt Childress 4 Comments

Imagine life where everyone pitches in with a mix of chores and creative leisure. One barely sees this balance from today’s towers of ranking prey.
[Read More]

Filed Under: Culture, Featured Writing, Poetry, Spirit, ULE Tagged With: Al-Eizariya, Appalachia, Bethany, Falafel, Isabel Wilkerson, Israel, Jesus, Knoxville, Mary, Nard, Origin, Palestine, Solomon, Spikenard

Tax-and-Spend Tourism Devours our Coast

January 8, 2024 by Watt Childress Leave a Comment

Appetites have hugely altered this place first recorded by explorers as “No-cost,” an ironic name for the spendy spot where residents and visitors haggled over blubber. [Read More]

Filed Under: Featured Writing, Politics Tagged With: Cannon Beach, Ecola, lodging tax, NeCus', No-Cost, Oregon, Whale

Exchanging gifts with Ursula

December 5, 2023 by Watt Childress 3 Comments

Le Guin’s writing has inspired me to question authority ever since my classmates and I read her work in school. [Read More]

Filed Under: Art, Books, Culture, Featured Writing Tagged With: Barb Knop, Brandon Ogilvie, Bruce St. Denis, Cannon Beach, Gary Hayes, Lisa Kerr, Nancy McCarthy, Ursula K. Le Guin

Watershed Folk

November 27, 2023 by Watt Childress Leave a Comment

Awareness of our common bond grows in these little events. Each gathering brings us a baby step closer to knowing how sacred this place is. [Read More]

Filed Under: Culture, Featured Writing, Spirit Tagged With: Cannon Beach, Ecola Creek, Salmon

Local citizens could rejuvenate democracy

November 6, 2023 by Watt Childress Leave a Comment

Apparently some leaders need a refresher lesson on consent. A comparison between civic governance and interpersonal relations is appropriate. When someone expresses a desire for friendship, starts giving hugs, this does not mean it’s OK to pursue sex with them. Even if romance does unfold, pay attention if the person says no at any point.
[Read More]

Filed Under: Featured Writing, Politics Tagged With: Cannon Beach, Oregon

Charging up our Song

November 3, 2023 by Watt Childress 3 Comments

Spirit cracked open
my mumblypeg mind with
heart-to-heart conversation.
[Read More]

Filed Under: Featured Writing, Poetry, Spirit

Holding Hands in Cannon Beach

August 28, 2023 by Watt Childress 4 Comments

Can coastal ghosts take
control of boards that
meet on ancestral strands?
Possession risks captivity.
[Read More]

Filed Under: Featured Writing, Poetry

We are the Luminaries

August 8, 2023 by Watt Childress 2 Comments

Bioluminescence is a perfect metaphor for community spirit. Resilience glows when we celebrate mutual respect and dispel misunderstandings. A primordial way for humans to convey this radiance is through storytelling.

Filed Under: Happenings, ULE

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More Gleanings

Here Try Some of This Ointment

April 17, 2024 By Watt Childress 4 Comments

We are the Luminaries

August 8, 2023 By Watt Childress 2 Comments

Open Letter for Creation’s Caregivers

June 19, 2023 By Watt Childress 5 Comments

My November 2022 Ballot Choices

November 6, 2022 By Rabbi Bob 1 Comment

One Cup of Tea

November 15, 2020 By Lila Danielle 1 Comment

Additional Wisdom...

Readers’ Comments

  • Watt Childress April 28, 2025 at 11:48 am on Uncle Zech’s Amphibious GestaltAlso, you inspired me to insert a sentence crediting Hoyt Axton with the song's genesis. Many thanks!
  • Watt Childress April 27, 2025 at 10:55 pm on Uncle Zech’s Amphibious GestaltThank you kindly Jim for reading this and commenting. I enjoyed your review of "Sun House" by David James Duncan,
  • Jim Stewart April 27, 2025 at 8:26 pm on Uncle Zech’s Amphibious GestaltNice! Hoyt Axton wrote the Jeremiah song and sang it with great gusto. Life wanders on and I'm still glad
  • Watt Childress April 26, 2025 at 3:51 pm on Uncle Zech’s Amphibious GestaltDuring spring I think of you, and all the May Pole celebrations you've organized over the years. So grateful for
  • Watt Childress April 26, 2025 at 3:18 pm on Uncle Zech’s Amphibious GestaltIn my dreams I sing to the multitudes, with a voice as clear and sweet and churchy as Lou Reed.
More Comments...

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