11.13.2007
Thoreau's Journal: 13-Nov-1851
A cold and dark afternoon, the sun being behind clouds in the west. The landscape is barren of objects, the trees being leafless, and so little light in the sky for variety. Such a day as will almost oblige a man to eat his own heart. A day in which you must hold on to life by your teeth. You can hardly ruck up any skin on Nature’s bones. The sap is down; she won’t peel. Now is the time to cut timber for yokes and ox-bows, leaving the tough bark on,—yokes for your own neck. Finding yourself yoked to Matter and to Time. Not a mosquito left. Not an insect to hum. Crickets gone into winter quarters. Friends long since gone there, and you left to walk on frozen ground, with your hands in your pockets. Ah, but is not this a time for deep inward fires?
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3 comments:
Especially nice to have this post when I sought out today's blog...Thanks Greg for posting it.
Today, here on this L. Superior peninsula, it is an image similar to what Thoreau saw Nov. 13, 1851. Gray and dark landscape with leafless tree's monotone broken only by the forest green of spruce and pine. A cold front is moving in with gusts of wind announcing it; streaks of dull gold light at skyline contrasting with a winter gray firmament.
The last sentence of this is just beautiful! I came across this blog when I googled a quote of HDT's I could not find the source of. Turns out it was from one of his journals. Have been reading some of the entries and am enjoying it very much. Thank you for your efforts to bring HDT into our busy daily lives!
Glad the both of you enjoyed
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