The Call

Summary

Erika Burkhalter's "The Call" is a reflective piece that captures the essence of nature's enchantment and its profound impact on the human soul through photography and poetry.

Abstract

"The Call" is an evocative meditation on the beauty of nature and its transformative power, as seen through the lens of photographer and poet Erika Burkhalter. The piece invites readers to immerse themselves in the serene blue of a morning softened by dew, to embrace the mystery and depth that nature offers, and to witness the unseen colors that reveal themselves to the patient observer. Burkhalter emphasizes the importance of slowing down, allowing the mind to wander, and engaging with the environment beyond the visual, to hear the rhythms and see the ephemeral images that inspire the soul. The work culminates in an invitation to experience the world not just as it is, but as it could be, through the boundless realm of imagination.

Opinions

The author expresses a preference for the enigmatic aspects of nature over clear-cut interpretations, suggesting that true insight lies in the unseen and the contemplative.
Burkhalter believes that the full appreciation of nature's artistry requires a multisensory approach, including listening to the patterns that the visual elements of a scene suggest.
The piece conveys that moments of stillness and reflection are crucial for connecting with the deeper, often unnoticed, layers of the world around us.
The author posits that the act of looking beyond the obvious can lead to glimpses of a world that is dreamt of rather than immediately visible, hinting at the creative potential within every individual.
Erika Burkhalter's work is a testament to her love for Mother Earth, aiming to share the splendor of nature through her multifaceted talents as a yogi, photographer, and writer.

The Call

It beckons in the blue of a morning’s hue softened by dew, and moody clouds, and a prayer to nature

to nurture my soul.

I lay in the grass and measure the light and the sight overcomes me.

I prefer mystery to clarity for there I see the depths of a soul shrouded in dark folds.

The colors, unseen by most, appear when you stay for a moment.

The errant line, the singular blur, occur to provide focus.

The shapes, the outlines, the rhythms that don’t rhyme when you look at them the first time, because you have to hear them, you know, for the pattern to show…

This is what happens when you let your breath slow and your mind to wander amongst the tips of hay breathing golden fire at the end of a summer’s day,

or when you close your eyes, and peer inside those crevices which fill you.

When you look askance, caught by the light, and the sight of the shadows pulls you in, you might see, at least momentarily, the ephemeral image of a world only dreamed, not yet seen, other than in your imagination.

This is the muse’s call.

Erika Burkhalter is a yogi, cat-mom, photographer, and lover of travel and nature, spreading her love and amazement for Mother Earth’s glories, one photo, poem or story at a time. (MS Neuropsychology, MA Yoga Studies).

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