A Selection of Nora’s Writings

Book cover with abstract floral pattern in green, black, and pink colors, featuring leaves, flowers, and a bird. Title: 'Combining' by Nora Bateson.

Books

Combining
Published by Triarchy Press, 2023

In this book, Nora invites us into an ecology of communication where nothing stands alone, and every action sets off a chain of incalculable consequences. She challenges conventional fixes for our problems, highlighting the need to tackle issues at multiple levels, understand interdependence, and embrace ambiguity.

books.org (US/UK)
amazon.com

Small Arcs of Larger Circles
framing through other patterns
Published by Triarchy Press, 2016

Nora’s first collection of essays, reflections and poems. This book is a revolutionary personal approach to the study of systems and complexity, and the core text of the Harvard University LILA program 2017-18.

books.org (UK)
amazon.com

A close-up of a dark-colored seed pod surrounded by two dry leaves, with a gray background, and the text 'Nora Bateson' at the top and 'Small Arcs of Larger Circles, framing through other patterns' at the bottom.

Ecology of Mind: A Cybernetic Approach to Planetary Problems

Poetry


An Ecology of Change

the restlessness of sorrow
makes each room a place to leave
Isnt it stagnant in here?

Isnt it late already; time to be in motion?
Does anyone else smell smoke?
jumpy to go, to shift, to twitch to slide to scratch -

the kitchen is piled with nothing to eat-
the bedroom is pillowed with nothing like sleep-
the body is fidgety to do something where there is only what cannot be undone-
making long phone calls in the time set aside to be alone-

walking, running, pacing, circling, writhing-
slipping out of the grip of möbius memories-
stillness aches.

IT’S A GAP

It's a gap,
That is holding our fibering.

It's a gap,
That is both eachness & reaching.

It's a gap,
That is our learning to find one another.

It's a gap,
That pulls us & pushes us.

It is - - - - - -
gapping.

Please do not complete me.

Let me relish longing.