In Black Water Woods

This was not my most favorite poem that we have read so far; however, I loved the first two stanzas. As you read each line there became a new meaning to what the author, Mary Oliver, was saying. She started off with "Look, the trees," which just simply means look at the trees. Then, she adds "Look, the trees are turning," which could be interpreted many different ways such as, the trees themselves are physically turning around or maybe they are turning from the wind like the wind is blowing and making them turn. She next says, "Look, the trees are turning their own bodies," this then eliminates the possibility of the wind turning them and personifies the trees to make them seem like they are picking themselves up and turning around. In the next line, Oliver then adds, "Look, the trees are turning theirs own bodies into pillars," this gave me the image of trees holding up buildings or houses. Finally, the author says, "Look, the trees are turning their own bodies into pillars of light," this final line changed the whole meaning to me. I pictured tall, beautiful, elegant trees with light shinning through the leaves to create a surreal and tranquil feeling.