Drawing on a traditional Finnish lullaby, “Lay Down on the Good Earth” celebrates the fortitude of Finnish immigrants in Michigan and the Midwest. As her husband leaves for another day in the copper mines, Sanni reflects on her role as a wife, a mother, happier days in Finland, and the surprising fate of her two sons. Although Sanni’s younger years have passed, what remains certain is the process of making nisu — the kneading of dough, the braiding of bread — each thick ribbon a symbol of the men in Sanni’s life and the unending bond of family and tradition.
