A Place of "Refuge"

One of the passages that really stuck with me from the book "Refuge" by Terry Tenpest Williams is a particular scene on pages 237-238. In this scene, we see Terry retreating to a secret place. The recent passing of her mother has led to her feeling sorrowful, and she need some place to go, some place to get away from it all, a place of "refuge" if you will.

"Leaning against the back of the wall of the cave, the curve of the rock supports the curve of my spine". Here we see the connection that Terry has with nature. The curve in the wall of the cave matches up with the curve of her spine, symbolizing her connection with nature that we have seen throughout the book. Also of note is how she says that the rock supports her. Throughout the book we see that she not only has strong connection with nature, but that she turns to nature as a source of comfort, strength, and refuge. This single sentence conveys this relationship very well.

The cave is covered in the simple imagery of the animals that inhabit the land, and Terry finds it comforting to mimic these depictions, choosing to carve simple chevrons on the bones o a rabbit, picked clean by a bird. Here we see another connection to birds, and the fact that it is an eagle is interesting as well, a symbol of strength and courage.

 I also find it interesting how Terry connects this place, a place that is used by the native people of the land, as a place of refuge for herself. One interesting aspect of the book is how Terry sometimes connects the beliefs and practices of the native people to the her own situation. This blending of her own Mormon beliefs and natives ones is interesting, and something that we again see in this passage.

This passage effectively conveys the power of solitude and how being alone in a place of comfort, and a place in which we can find strength can help us, even through the darkest times. It is in these places of quiet reflection that we are able to truly be ourselves, to contemplate on life, and how we feel about things. I think everyone needs these types of places, places where they can be themselves, let their feelings out without the fear of being judged by others. Perhaps Terry should serve as an example to us, instead of immediately going to tell other our troubles, perhaps we should be more like her and seek solace more so than the often empty words of others in our times of distress.

Work Cited:

Williams, Terry Tempest. Refuge. New York: Vintage Books, 2001. Print. 237-238.

The Oft Misunderstood Bat

Bats are some of the most amazing animals in the world, and yet they are often misunderstood, and still frighten and fascinate people to this day. This odd fascination is something that seems to have gripped Emily Dickinson in her writing of "The bat is dun with wrinkled wings".

Dickinson begins talking about the bat, and her description from the very beginning shows her fascination with the creature. She talks about not being able to hear the song of the bat, then describes his incredible aerial acrobatics. In the third stanza she then goes on to describe the bat how it has often been seen, as a symbol of evil. She talks about being uncertain where he comes from (heaven or hell) and describes him as "malevolent".

In the last stanza is where we see her give the creature its due. She talks about him, in his own strange way, being a creature of good. She implies that despite the fear and misunderstanding, we should still be thankful for this creature being around.

I feel that in this poem, the bat can be seen as a symbol of someone misunderstood, and perhaps even Dickinson herself. During her lifetime, Dickinson was a recluse, and often misunderstood by others. Perhaps in a creature like the bat, she saw something she could relate to. Like the bat, she had no evil intentions or malice towards others, though people may have been suspicious of her or thought her strange. I think it is an interesting parallel to make, one that should make us all think about how we judge others.

This poem is one of my favorites, as the bat is my favorite animal. I feel that if many people took the time to understand them, their fear would turn to fascination. In the same way, we should take the time to get to know and understand indivuals who may at first seem strange or different to us. I think in the same way, our uneasiness would turn into respect and wanting to know more about them.

The Love Song of Nature

The poem “Song” by Brenda Cardenas interestingly uses many nautical themes throughout. I think this is interesting, as many poems focus on things that can be seen in a field, forest, city, and so on. I find it interesting that she uses the ocean as a common connection with the person she is talking to. I think that, although it might not be evident at first, that this poem is about the love between two people, and the love of nature is how they are able to bond more closely.

In the beginning of the poem, it is evident that she is very connected to nature. She talks about being shouted to from beyond her dreams, and when she rushes to the beach, she sees whales breaching the surface of the water, and only then does she mention the person standing there. This suggests a strong connection to nature and perhaps this connection to nature is how she is able to better connect with the second person of the poem.

She also talks about this other person being to reach them (I would assume she means the whales), and being able to “ride their fins”. I think this could speak to the bond between these two people, and suggest that they love each other very much. She knows what this person wants, and this person has expressed their desires to her, even if they may seem fantastical or unrealistic. This love could be romantic, or it could be simply the love of friends.

I find the closing lines very curious, as she talks about wanting to drown her fears. Perhaps this person she is talking to has been able to conquer their own fears, and is trying to help her overcome some of her own.Maybe the fear is with this person, perhaps a fear of loss or a fear of being left alone. Whatever the case may be, it seems this other person is trying to help her overcome her fears, trying to help her move past the things that are holding her back. This again speaks to the love that is evident between these two souls.