“There are periods when you exist beyond the context of time and fact and reality. Moments when memory carries you buoyant beyond all things, and life exists as fragments and shards of being, when you see yourself as you were, and will be again — sacred, whole and shining.” Richard Wagamese
It is winter and I am deep in thought. I exist in buoyant memory, life becoming a swirling expanse of fragments and I find myself pulled to collect little threads of being, of art, of words, and allow them to carry me through these cold days.
Winter always brings forward a desire to retreat(like trees pulling their energy into their roots). It is a time of introspection and contemplation - feet by the fire, tea in hand.
Today I bring you a collection of art, literature and music to contemplate (hopefully with your own cup of tea in hand). Fragments of being, if you will.
I have been reading a book that I found in my local little free library - Beloved of the Sky, Essays and Photographs on Clearcutting, edited by John Ellison. I think if you want to read it yourself you’d need to look for a used copy online or maybe your library would have it. Each essay shares the personal experiences of the author and it is so interesting. We live under trees, with trees, rely on trees for so many things. Thinking about how we use them, how many we cut down, and what the thrumming movement of industry does to our forests…well let’s just say it deserves consideration. I’m working on a short series of poems inspired by the essays in this collection - let me know in the comments if you’d like to see these poems!
On the cover of this book there is a painting of a tall tree - a long, stark tree trunk the central focus. The painting is by Emily Carr and it is called Scorned as Timber, Beloved of the Sky. Carr’s work always feels like a window into a slightly familiar, somewhat different reality. When I was researching this painting and learning more about it I discovered that a Canadian Jazz artist had created an album inspired by the work of Emily Carr. It’s a really interesting collection of music and worth checking out.
My foray into Canadian art and music also recently led me to paintings by Erin Elizabeth Ross. She’s made this stunning series called Fire - paintings of different prairie barns in flames. Ross said she wanted these pieces to feel both familiar and uncanny, and I found that I couldn’t stop looking at them. The vast prairie landscape stretching out behind each barn does feel familiar - and yet the burning building leaves the viewer with a little unease and curiosity.
Finally, I’ve been listening to a series of songs by Vincent Lima that explore the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. If you’re not familiar with this story, you can get a brief summary here - Orpheus and Eurydice. The music that Vincent Lima has threaded together to tell this tragic love story is unbelievably good. I’d like to leave you with my favorite song from his series, it’s called Orpheus and I think you’ll love it.
I’m looking forward to a few weeks of quiet hibernation at home over the holidays - and while I’ve got a couple scheduled posts that will land in your inbox this month - you’ll be getting a short break from my writing and I hope you will find space for your own moments of hibernation this winter. May you find art and music that holds you through these cold days - and if you feel moved to, do share some of your favorite things to read or listen to!
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I too would like to read your tree poems.
About a year ago I read an article somewhere online about the role that trees played in the smelting of silver during the Roman empire, and how this was related to the Romans’ ability to wage war. They paid their soldiers with the silver denarius. I seem to recall that the article asserted that one of the factors that brought about the fall of Rome was that they cut down too many trees in what were once immense European forests in order to fuel their smelting operations. Once the trees were in short supply they began running out of silver and could no longer maintain a strong army.
Whether I’ve got that story exactly right I am not sure, but for me it was such a new take on history that I bought a Kindle version of a book that the article referred to: A Forest Journey: The Role of Trees in the Fate of Civilization, by John Perlin. You can find it on Amazon. I have not yet found time to read it, but leafing through it I find it an absolutely fascinating account of the role of trees throughout history, providing the major source of fuel and building materials as civilizations build, and then collapse, when the use of trees outstrips their capacity to regrow.
Yes. I want to see your Tree Poems!