bright wings

having visited a friend's family vineyard recently, i learned that they own over 400 acres, some of which have never been cultivated. this struck me as rare! i'd already been thinking about what i'll call the "people vs. nature wear factor" on our planet and was happily surprised that there still existed a parcel of farm land that was still mineral rich and untouched. i've had the privilege of venturing many places this summer, starting with oahu and the san juans, then cannon beach and silver creek falls. in each there is absolutely unspoiled beauty right next to the wear and tear of humans. i've watched people, myself among them, finding ATM machines in order to satiate their daily quest for food, water...then garbage cans, bathrooms...clothing, souvenirs, coffee, icecream...car or boat fuel...only to do it all over again. i'm happy to say it seems nature always wins. vines climb up again, water perseveres...it brought to mind one of my favorite poems by gerard manley hopkins who understood this very concept when he wrote in the late 1880's (well past lewis & clark's 1804 expedition west). in "God's Grandeur", he writes: the world is charged with the grandeur of God. it will flame out, like shining from shook foil; it gathers to a greatness like the ooze of oil crushed. why do men then now not reck his rod? generations have trod, have trod, have trod; and all is seared with trade; bleared, smeared with toil; and wears man's smudge and shares man's smell: the soil is bare now, nor can foot feel, being shod. and for all this, nature is never spent; there lives the dearest freshness deep down things; and though the last lights off the black west went oh, morning, at the brown brink eastward springs-- because the Holy Ghost over the bent world broods with warm breast and with ah! bright wings. despite having memorized this poem in college, i still have to look up what "reck his rod" might mean and summaries seem to indicate the phrase, "why don't people respect and appreciate God's creation and take care of it?" the rest, i think, is fairly straight forward. and, while i know people debate the possibility of using up all of earth's natural resources, i still love the line that says, "and for all this nature is never spent". the next line is refreshing as well, "there lives the dearest freshness deep down things". it's like coming out of a crowded mall into a natural wetland; times of refreshing that come from the Creator into all things created.