Trees

I got stuck in a tree over the weekend and might not be able to blog for a few days. This happens sometimes.

There is a chance that I will have a guitar airlifted for the remainder of my stay, but I'd rather not risk transporting my laptop. Besides, the battery would not last too long.

Rather than leave my Monday readers high-and-dry, I had my hiking companion/rescue coordinator take down the first few lines of a Hoelderlin poem I felt was well-suited for the occasion. Unfortunately I could only remember the first two verses...

Was dämmert um mich, Erde! Dein freundlich Grün?
Was wehst du wieder, Lüftchen, wie einst mich an?
In allen Wipfeln rauschts,

Was weckt ihr mir die Seele? Was regt ihr mir
Vergangnes auf, ihr Guten! O schonet mein
Und laßt sie ruhn, die Asche meiner
Freunden, ihr spottet nur! O wandelt,

or, auf Englisch, courtesy of Michael Hamburger:

Why, Earth, around me glimmer your friendly leaves?
Why, little wind, as once do you breathe on me?
In all the tree-tops there's a rustling,

Why do you rouse my soul and stir up the past?
In me, you kindly ones? O be kinder still
And let them be, the embers of my
Joys! You were mocking me! Travel on then,

The poem, entitled Palinodie, has another few verses that you can read here. More interesting, I learned when reading about the piece that a "palinode" is a reversal of an earlier poem or statement. For some reason I'd never learned that.

Though I'd never consciously written a palinode of any kind, a likely subject arose in my path while hiking this weekend. I read on a placard that honeysuckle -- the plant whose appearance in midsummer always seemed to me so sweet, innocent and intoxicating -- is actually regarded as an invasive species in North America. It's sweet-smelling and attractive, but can hamper other growth.

See? I still learn things.

And lest you pick up the touch-tone and dial the volunteer fire department, I'll come out and admit that I'm not really stuck in any trees. I just might not post for a few days and thought I'd give a more interesting reason than an upcoming sales meeting.

Take care.