Northwestern Melancholy and Wendell Berry
Prior to leaving on my recent trip to the Pacific Northwest, I told a friend I needed time to myself to visit some ghosts. This was intended with all sincerity. Some of my closest friends, greatest role models, and dearest loves are ghosts.
Shortly before the trip I heard an NPR interview with Wendell Berry. He read a couple of poems from his new book Leavings which I found deeply moving and personal. I tried to find the book to take with me on my trip but alas it was not yet available. The cover image, a simple photograph in nostalgic warm tone, stayed with me as I meandered the wintry beaches and coastal woods. As expected, the Northwestern winter offered rainy gray days and the same subtle beauty and soft lighting that struck me in Berry’s book cover. I spent several days immersed in the velvety mist, breathing the rich scents of ocean, evergreens, mosses, and wet earth. And, for the most part, had the deep woods and beaches to myself. And the ghosts – they did come. It was an emotional and memorable journey through time and light and solitude.
Leavings was waiting for me when I returned home and I enjoy it a little at a time, poem by poem. They are intimate, sometimes sad, reflections, yet they read to me as if I had conjured up the words and thoughts and feelings myself. And, in that sense, they are comforting to me. The words converge with images of this past week and take me back to the cloudy, foggy, private scenes I photographed, and to those silent conversations.
Category: Images, Thoughts and Musings
Hey Guy
Lovely images, that perfectly capture the depth and intimacy of Wendell Berry’s writings. I have to point out that the Guy Tal-Wendell Berry combination sprang to my mind a while ago: Wendell Berry and Guy Tal.
It’s a great mix.
Cheers
Carl
Nice collection of images, great color
Hi Guy,
I have always loved the combination of images and poems, so strong together. I find poetry is painting with words and have such admiration for those who can create vivid images in such a way. I am joining with a poet for my new book which is working really well. Anyway, great blog… stunning images as always!
All the best,
Iain
A very unique blog post & set of images (as I expected). Glad you found the inspiration you were looking for.
Some beautiful work here.
- Dan.
Beautiful work. Thanks for sharing your inspiration…
Very nice work, Guy. Great toning. Nothing like a NW Forest to get in touch & say hello to ghosts in a hallowed space. Hope it went well for you.
Great for us that you do a nice job of sharing some of your inner experience as well as outer. I’ve always been a big fan of Wendell Berry. Dad and I listened to the audio tapes of “What are People For” over and over.