The Most Beautiful Sunset
I saw the most beautiful thing in my life when I was vacationing on Captiva Island, a border island off the coast of eastern Florida. The day was warm, and the glistening ocean shined like a box of azure sapphires. The sun shone down onto the crystal white sand, causing the particles to shimmer. The real beauty, however, occurred later in the day, when the sun was returning to its home underneath the water. It was almost six thirty, and the entire day was filled with anticipation for the sunset later that night. My family and Iwalked down to the deserted shore, eager to see what we had heard was a fantastic occurrence. The sand was no longer burning hot like it had been earlier in the day, and the ocean had turned serene and calm. The sun slowly started setting, turning the previous blue of the sky to the color of roses. As the water began to darken, the sun still sunk farther, leaving behind a trail of gold and pink. I was awestruck- I had never seen anything as gorgeous in my life. Compared to this wonder, sunsets in the city looked like old lightbulbs sputtering out. The jewel-like sky displayed thousands of bright stars, and it seemed for the first time that I realized how big the universe really was. Standing there, with my family, on the cool beach, I saw how beautiful nature could be, just by seeing this sunset. I never really acknowledged the fact that this happened every day, and I was upset to know that I missed out on so many in my lifetime. After the glowing sun faded from sight, all I could do was stand there, marveling over what I had just viewed. Every night after that, I went outside to watch the sun disappear. Even though I had seen it before, every time seemed like the first, and I was no less amazed at the shining colors than I had been the first time. When I came back to Chicago, I felt empty knowing that I would not be able to experience the sunsets that I had on Captiva. Even so, the experience humbled me, and it comforted me to know that the sun would always set, no matter where I was.
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Native American Creation Story
In the old ages, there was a tribe named the Chikagoes who resided in the grassland plains of America. The Chikagoes put an enormous focus on hunting, and every year they held a tournament to see which member of the tribe could kill and hunt the biggest animal. The tournament was meant to show appreciation for the newer hunters, but every year the same man won. His name was Sears, and he was the most superb hunter the tribe had ever known. Sears could kill any animal he saw, and it was thanks to him that the tribe survived a particularly rough winter a few years before. However great Sears was, he had a monstrous ego, and was convinced that he was sent from the hunting god. Sears was upset that he was forced to live with the mundane warriors of his tribe, and he devised a plan to be reunited with the nature gods, where he felt he belonged. When the hunting tournament began, Sears was nowhere to be found. The other tribe folk began to worry, as they knew that hunting was the most important thing in Sears’ life. A search party was sent out, but they were unsuccessful in finding the great warrior master. After one sunrise, a rabbit was scurrying to his berry bush, where he normally ate. Instead of finding his berries, however, he found a strange tower blocking his path. Knowing that something was wrong, he hopped back to the tribe’s settlement to tell them the news. The tribe leader went to investigate, and when he reached the enormous structure, he gasped. Sears had constructed a massive ramp to the heavens! The leader desperately called up at Sears, urging him to come down before he fell and hurt himself. Sears called back, “I am simply joining my rightful place in the heavens, where I belong! I am a god, which is why I can hunt so well!” The tribe leader knew that Sears suffered from inflated self-esteem, so he kept screaming for Sears to come down. Knowing it was hopeless, the leader stepped back, when he saw a great black snake slithering behind him. “Return to your home,” the snake whispered. “The rabbit and I will look after him.” The tribe leader took one last look at Sears before sighing and walking back to camp. Suddenly, the snake heard a scream. He saw Sears tumbling down the tower from a great distance. The snake had no time to think, so he quickly wrapped himself around the tower, covering the mud with his shimmering black body. He caught Sears on top of his head, and wrapped around the tower to deliver Sears to the top. Sears stood triumphantly, raising his arms into the air waiting for the nature gods to claim him. Suddenly, an owl flew and landed on his arm. “You have been ingrateful, Sears,” the owl admonished. “And for your punishment, you will be condemned to stand here forever.” With that, Sears froze into place, arms still raised. The snake still stays wrapped around, in solidarity to his friend. This is how the Sears Tower was created.
583 words
Nature Poem
Fallen Warriors
- The warriors on the trees all clad in green
- Whisper stories of summer and tales unseen
- The chilling tales of soldiers down
- Amid the frozen winter’s frown
- Their chlorophyll shields taking the blow
- Of the frost ridden air and the cold damp snow
- The biting winds and snapping chills
- Attack the rolling grass on hills
- The bravest ones are the first to fall
- When the whistling winds of winter call
- The verdant armor soaked in red
- Bloodstains soak their wooden bed
- The battle since the beginning of time
- Accompanied by the frozen chime
- Of warriors clashing under the enemy flank
- Forcing the trees to be bare and blank
- Heroes fighting their inevitable death
- Holding on till their last breath
- The warriors’ coats burning with rust
- Falling into the Earth’s gray dust
- Survivors stay stalwart till the last day
- Staying strong as their friends decay
- And when the end is drawing near
- They are not consumed by fear
- For even though they’re full of pain
- Winter soon makes way to spring’s cool rain
- The new generation will grow anew
- From their predecessors coup
- For eons they will fight for glory
- And the spirits in the wind pass on their stories
The cold air stings my eyes as I shuffle through the empty park, my steps staggered as the strong gusts of air try to restrain my movement . I look at the sky, painted a dripping gray, as I trudge up the hill making my way home. I sniff, inhaling the scent of the moist, cold air and become aware of the imminent rain. As soon as my weary feet reach the top of the hill, the biting wind begins tugging me down until I'm running to the bottom. The icy blasts of air permeate through my woolen sweater into my skin, chilling me to the bone until I shiver. The sheets of rain arrive in a blink of an eye, with not a drizzle to warn of the storm. Water whips around me, soaking my hair and beading in my eyelashes until I can't see the ground beneath my feet. I blindly sprint until I find cover under an awning, wiping my eyes until I can see again. The liquid pounding down looks magical, like drops of mercury instead of simple water. The wind swirls the drops into a whirlwind, catching bits of leaves into the maelstrom. I look at the dense gray sky and begin to laugh, extending my palm into the rain. The drops sting my hand, bouncing off onto the ground. The rain is gone faster than it came, and shaking my head I continue my trek home.
Response to The Atlantic Essays- The Walker, The American Forests, & The Sound of Trees
The Walker by Thoreau, The American Forests by Muir, & The Sound of Trees by Robert Frost all talk about humanity's relationship with nature and the world around it. All of these works were written around the turning point of technology (in the late 1800's and early 1900's), and they examine the fact that ever since all of these new innovations and technologies have come around nature became more trivial to most people. In "The Walker", Thoreau talks about how humankind used to be able to connect with nature and the wilderness, but "they (the humans) have confined themselves to the highways" ever since they were popularized. Henry David Thoreau reminisces on days when it was normal for people to go out and walk amongst the trees, but because of new technology throw that joy away in favor of being more "advanced". Muir agrees, saying that "wild trees had to make way for orchards and cornfields"- humans desperately try to overcome nature instead of work with it, trying to make progress even when it is not necessary, just like the idea of railroads. Humanity has always had the need to move forward, but the essays show that all the human race is doing is making it less sustainable and more unnatural. Robert Frost says that we "suffer (the trees)"; we do not have a symbiotic relationship with the trees and nature, we lose them in order to advance, even when the advance is not beneficial.
Response to Book
Corn Planting Response
To me, The Corn Planting is a very good representation of
how nature can help people cope with immense suffering, pain, and every other
emotion in between. In The Corn Planting, the grief-stricken parents turn to
their corn fields when they learn that their son had died in an alcohol fueled
car crash. Instead of turning to violence or anger, the Hutchensons “got a hand
cornplanter…and a bag of seed corn” and spent the entire night doing what they
knew best- planting the corn that was the foundation of their lives. They
channeled all of the raw and bitter emotion of losing their son into the land,
and the land did not judge them or try to offer them apologies, it let them
work and fix things on their own. The narrator says that it was the first time
he had seen “the connection between certain people into the earth”, and that
their hard work and effort might give way to a new growth. Even through all of
their sadness and anger at the world and at their son, they turned bad emotions
into a new life. The corn would grow and live on, even though it was born of
such sorrow.
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To Build A Fire Response
I think that To Build A Fire by Jack London shows how nature
has many sides, and that it is spontaneous and cannot be changed or micromanaged
by people. The main character is symbolic of the entire human race-
self-centered and overly confident in the fact that he is invincible and is
stronger than everything else out there. The main character sees the bitter
cold of the Alaskan wilderness as something benign and not deadly at all, while
he should know enough to see it as a serious threat. The man has no respect for
the strength of nature, and even refers to people who take the cold seriously
as “womanish”. Even though the
old-timer from Sulfur Creek knows the lay of the land much better than the main
character, he chooses to think that he is better than and in control of nature.
The dog, symbolic as a part of nature and the wilderness, knows better than to
try and fight the snow and the cold- it’s intuition showing him that nature
does not change just to suit one person’s needs. When the man begins to die, it
is not because of nature. Nature does not bend; it simply exists, unlike the
mortality of men.
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Snowbound Response
Snowbound, by John Greenleaf Whittier further shows the many
different sides and personalities of nature. The poem starts out by saying that
the expectant sky is “ominous”, implying that a grave or sad event is about to
take place. This side of nature is scary and powerful; a suggestion is enough
to send a family cowering for safety in their home. Whittier says that the air
brings about a “chill no coat…could quite shut out”, showing nature’s dominance
over manmade means of protection. Nature is portrayed as controlling and single
minded in much of the essay, enforcing its position in the hierarchy of the
planet. A single storm has the power of ruining this family’s life and
business, by freezing the grass the cows eat or destroying the crops. Later,
however, nature is shown as a gift-giver. The snow is described as a piece of
art, something beautiful to look at and fun for the children to experience. The
storm also brings the family together- although it forces the family inside
while the blizzard rages on, it lets them spend quality time together they may
not have had otherwise. While being virtually impossible to control and very
dangerous, nature can heal people and bring hope and happiness.
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Walden Response
Henry David Thoreau’s advice in Walden is a very good example
and view on life. Thoreau encourages removing oneself from all connections-
personal and physical, in order to become truly one with oneself and nature.
When a person takes away all material possessions and unnecessary personal
relationships that reap no benefits, they can live the life they were meant to
live- a life rich with respect for nature. Walden explains that “a man is rich in proportion to the
number of things which he can afford to let alone”, meaning that the less
material items a person is connected to, the more the person has. If a person
threw everything out to live with nature, then the person would become a part
of nature, therefore granting him or her the right of every tree, river, or
stone. Thoreau’s compromise on this was to move to Walden Cottage in order to
clear his mind and soul. I think that more people should turn to nature to find
who they really are without the social pressures and norms, and to learn how to
be truly self-sufficient. Too many people nowadays get caught up in a storm of
technology and expectations, and uniting oneself with nature can fix the
dependence on unnecessary items that only hurt us.
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The Snowstorm Response
The Snowstorm by Ralph Waldo Emerson also shows the majesty
and power of nature. Ralph Waldo Emerson shows this by describing the coming of
a massive snowstorm as being “Announced by all the trumpets of the sky”,
likening the snowstorm to royalty such as a king of a queen instead of a
natural weather occurrence. This
is an accurate likening, as nature is far more powerful than any human, royal
or not, could ever be. The snowstorm is like a divine force, stopping almost
all activity by everybody. This is supportive of the fact that nature is not
particular or selective- under nature’s gaze, all titles or social barriers
collapse and every human is equal to the other, regardless of birth, life, or
caste. The snowstorm does not only stop peasants or farmers, but also people of
high power. Nature does not know how to be selective- everything about it is
pure intuition. Nature does not think, it simply acts, and that is the way
humans were meant to be before society developed the idea that one person is
better than the other. If everybody turned to lives alone with nature, then
there would be no suffering as everybody would have the same things.
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