Pagoda rock formations, Gardens of Stone National Park
Words to walk with:
From Pagoda Country by Mark O'Connor
"The rock's strata erode like stacked plates,
with rounded tops, or grey, scalloped cisterns
-- an erratic pagoda, somehow blunt and disappointing
as the tops of mountains often are;
the highest peak a mere jut
thrust out obliquely
reaching anywhere but up,
one of earth's lumpy hobgoblin children,
squeezed out and abandoned,
broken with boils and eruptions,
a half-home to small furry parasites,
and pry to ceaseless sun and air."
O'Connor seems very disappointed with the landscape. He seems to be trying to make it into something that accords with his own mental image rather than take it for what it is.
ReplyDeleteI like the photograph of the "pagoda" and admire the power of sun, wind and rain to carve and of earth to resist.
I've been in the area before very briefly, and it's wonderful to see all the 'pagodas'. I've been told it makes for some very good climbing.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting rock formation in a well composed shot.
ReplyDeleteWonderful poetic text to illustrate that great photo!
ReplyDelete