Monday, June 18, 2012

Heart of Oregon

Heart of Oregon
The hurly-burly comes from every side.  You anesthetize your perceptions with calculations, tactics, contingencies for looming disasters.  You forget.

Near Butte Falls, OR
A journey into Oregon's mountainous heart clears it all away; dispels it with pregnant silence, with brief, poignant songs of red-wing blackbird, finch, and meadowlark.

Mount McLoughlin
On my way home, I passed through Crater Lake National Park, where I'd spent a young man's summer working at the lodge.  Young men are not immune to beauty.  But older men are helpless before it.  My heart was pierced. 
Carnivorous piscine feeding frenzy
When my time is over, cast my remains in the crater.  I am Oregon.  Oregon is me. 

3 comments:

Mlafayette58 said...

Sweet, Dade. thanks for the pictures and the memories of how certain venues affect us.

Jeff Irwin said...

Wow Dade. A trip through my old stomping grounds!

Aasia Fredericks said...

I would love to visit Oregon. I am a lover of the outdoors and  could think of nothing better than walking through a beautiful place like this. Found you on Ridwan's blog.