Journal Entry “An Entrance to the Woods"

BY WENDELL BARRY

Wendell Barry was born in Kentucky and lived on both east coast and west. After living on both coast he returned to his native hometown. Although, Lopate writes the he rarely shows humor or even irony he is well regarded by his fellow nature writes as a saint. According to Lopate Barry has made lifelong efforts to protect the earth’s ecological balance.
An Entrance to the Woods was a sheer delight to read. I read it twice. He captured so many moments I had in my own entrance to the woods when our class went on our nature field trip. The morning was brilliant and warm, absolutely still. When he writes, “Even more discomforting is a pervasive sense of unfamiliarity.” It was as if we took a walk together through the woods because this is exactly how I felt. And uneasy as it felt it did pass as I walked through the woods leaving school, worries, and pressures behind, becoming completely “naked” emotionally; immersing myself in what I was not.
I heard no sounds but the sounds of the woods. Although, as Barry I could hear an occasional plane fly over and the train whistle blowing. I was so very happy the whole entire day walking and reflecting in the woods. When reading this essay I have many notes in the margins of my book because I had such a vibrant conversation with Barry. This is how I want to connect with my audience. This was my favorite essay of the three assigned to read.