I started reading one of our books "Turtle Island" by Gary Snyder. I enjoyed the first few poems I read because they are so in touch with a world that seems so mythical compared to our world of small cities and developed land. I liked how he described the ancient Pueblos or "Anasazi" peoples that were here long before their land was resettled. But I think from what I've read so far of the book, I enjoyed his poem "The Bath."
I started reading it, and at first I didn't know what to think because in the first few stanzas he used such upfront wording, that I suppose as a college student, I should simply be used to. But as I read on, I realized that this poem really meant something-- it really made me "feel." How in the beginning he asks "is this our body?" I interpret in my sense to be the idea that in a world so far from nature in many aspects of our lives, that humans have tried to perfect and morph their bodies into what is suppose to be "ideal" as human beings. We've let go of the idea that just as we are we are natural. We are natural from our smelly feet to our runny noses. But now we fear such things that seem too alike to the world of animals so we have to cover our smells and throw chemical up our nostrils.
But I love the poem because it describes a life that I wish I could have. What could be more human and more loving than a family in touch with their nature and not afraid to be affectionate towards one another. I think if I were to ever marry someone who was so afraid of petty imperfections that he could not be just free with his form or my own... well I guess I wouldn't be happy to marry someone like that. And besides that, I just think the poem is beautiful. Who wouldn't want a sauna out in nature and looking up at the stars?
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response from: Kelly Moody
wow that is interesting. it reminds me of my english class on 'survival of the prettiest' where we are analyzing the psychological and biological reasons for beauty standards. We humans morph our bodies to comform to 'whats ideal' for natural selection purposes. It is fueled by our want to be seperate from animals, more beautiful and more intelligent(they go hand and hand, well thats what a lot of society inherently believes). If only we could all just realize that we're no different from anything else we consider nature, and that we actually might be happier in our true form as a part of nature. You're post is compelling me to start reading that book now! From what you said about it, it sounds pretty interesting! (:
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