The Poetic Nature of National Parks

By: Lea McDowell

Our national parks are pure poetry--an unfiltered, preserved memory of the past and beaming look into the future. These protected lands give us the ability to walk amongst history, to work with the elements and not conquer, but savor the journey.

Poet Sylvia Plath said it best in The Bell Jar: “I felt my lungs inflate with the onrush of scenery-air, mountains, trees, people. I thought, ‘This is what it is to be happy.’”  To be in nature is to be in a poem, an ancient sacred text written through the falling leaves, the rivers dancing over stones, a patch of wildflowers having returned after a frigid winter, the winter itself freezing everything in its rightful place and teaching us to slow down and savor the rest offered to us in colder months. 

National parks offer a plethora of take-your-breath-away scenery. Be it at El Capitan in the expansive Yosemite National Park on the wild and vast Pacific coast, or the rolling mountains of Appalachia where Harpers Ferry National Historical Park traverses hallowed grounds. The sun rises the same over both places, the light just dances differently. The same can be said for humans. We grow at varied paces, thrive in contrasting environments, and call different places home. 

Where we find common ground and kinship, I believe, is in natural spaces and places. There we are nourished by fresh air from the sea, hills, valleys, peaks, and anything in between. We are all stewards of this land we love, appreciating it and caring for it, making sure that future generations will have the same opportunity.

In this life of mystery, love, and loss alike, I hope you experience moments of unfiltered joy from your surroundings. I hope the mundane experiences of the day to day, such as seeing a bird return to its nest, or finding the perfect patch of grass to lay your head while you take in the silent night sky can fill your days with comfort and hope. 

To quote John Muir from the book Our National Parks:

“Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves.”

Do you have a favorite book or poem about nature? Let us know!

Our National Parks by John Muir as well as Our National Park Quotation Book are available for purchase at https://www.harpersferryhistory.org/shop and in the Park Bookshop.

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Author Bio:

Lea McDowell is a Sales and Visitor Experience Specialist at Harpers Ferry Park Association. She finds inspiration in the rich history of the Ferry and the boundless flora and fauna that surround it. She has written for newspapers such as The Daily Athenaeum and Shepherd University’s Picket. Lea enjoys crafting literary dreamscapes that celebrate natural places and our relationship with them.