7.26.2004

The Journal of HDT: 26-July-1852

Went to Cambridge and Boston to-day. Dr. Harris says that my great moth is the Attacus luna; may be regarded as one of several emperor moths. They are rarely seen, being very liable to be snapped up by birds. Once, as he was crossing the College Yard, he saw the wings of one coming down, which reached the ground just at his feet. What a tragedy! The wings came down as the only evidence that such a creature had soared,—wings large and splendid, which were designed to bear a precious burthen through the upper air. So most poems, even epics, are like the wings come down to earth, while the poet whose adventurous flight they evidence has been snapped up [by] the ravenous vultures of this world.


1 comment:

petergarner said...

Bonjour Monsieur Thoreau,

Gotta get back to reading your stuff. Things like "So most poems, even epics, are like the wings come down to earth, while the poet whose adventurous flight they evidence has been snapped up [by] the ravenous vultures of this world" are pretty damn cool. I know you haven't written Walden yet, but you will, and it will be great, and I'm going to go back and read it again. I really appreciate you taking some time out of your surely busy afterlife to re-post your journals in a Blog. Great idea.

Ranger