Light and Shade

July 4

July 4. 

Standing on J. P . Brown's land, south side, I observe his rich and luxuriant uncut grass-lands northward, now waving under the easterly wind. Sweeping waves of light and shade over the whole breadth of his land, imparting wonderful life to the landscape, waves of light and shade pursuing each other over the whole breadth of the landscape like waves hastening to break on a shore. 

We are wading and navigating at present in a sort of sea of grass, which yields and undulates under the wind like water; and so, perchance, the forest is seen to do from a favorable position.

In that hollow in the woods south of Ledum Swamp, the sedge is fresh and yellowish-green, falling every way like cow-licks on an unkempt head, a soft, dry bed to recline on. When we enter it from the west, with the sun shining between thundery clouds, it is all lit with a blaze of yellow light.


H. D. Thoreau, Journal, July 4, 1860

Navigating a sea of grass... See July 6, 1859 ("Grass now for a week or more has been seriously in the way of the walker,... It requires skillful tacking, a good deal of observation, and experience to get across the country now.”) See also July 2, 1851 ("Miles of waving grass adorning the surface of the earth, inconceivably fine and silvery far away, - light reflects from the grass blades.”)


Standing on J. P. Brown's land, south side, I observed his rich and luxuriant uncut grass-lands north ward, now waving under the easterly wind. It is a beautiful Camilla, sweeping like waves of light and shade over the whole breadth of his land, like a low steam curling over it, imparting wonderful life to the landscape, like the light and shade of a changeable garment, waves of light and shade pursuing each other over the whole breadth of the landscape like waves hastening to break on a shore.