John Steinbeck Research Paper Example

John Steinbeck Paper John Steinbeck Archie Parks HUM/266 June 17, 2011 Lauren Holmes John Steinbeck John Steinbeck (1902-1968), born in Salinas, California, came from a family of moderate means. He worked his way through college at Stanford University but never graduated. In 1925 he went to New York, where he tried for a few years to establish himself as a free-lance writer, but he failed and returned to California (Nobelprize. org, 2011). Steinbeck did not have success with his early writings. Tortilla Flat a humorous story about Monterey Paisanos published in 1935 became his first well-known piece of work. Early Influences As a boy growing up Steinbeck was inspired to be a writer by his mother. Steinbeck’s mother loved books and literature; she was a teacher and his earliest influence into writing. As Steinbeck got older he often cited Charles Darwin as the main influence in his career. Charles Darwin intrigued Steinbeck; Steinbeck was amazed in the realism and naturalism of Darwin’s work. Steinbeck’s creativity primarily sparked by nature. He was very aware of his surroundings and many of the events of his life as well as social situations contributed to setting and plots for his novel. We will write a custom essay sample on John Steinbeck specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on John Steinbeck specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on John Steinbeck specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Most of his books took place during the period of the great depression. Artistic achievement Steinbeck liked to incorporate area surroundings into his writing. He often experimented with different styles of writing, like a play in novel format. He also used fabular, picaresque, and documentary styles as well. Steinbeck often wrote about poor people and how their lives were changed by their circumstances and used the layout of the land as an artistic style as well. His talents as a storyteller were unsurpassed. His engagement with the vital social issues of his day was worthy of the highest traditions of journalism. He forged a muscular, plain prose style of immense emotional range. And in his major work, he created an enduring testament to societys downtrodden, simple men and women confronting the demons of poverty, violence and bigotry and refusing to yield (Kamiya, 1995). What makes Steinbecks style unique is his dual use of omniscient narration combined with a real empathy for his characters. Steinbecks strongest writing talent is in his use of characterization (Steinbeck, 2011). In all of his novels, OMAM included, we really feel like we know the characters. We are pulled into their situations that what they endure and have to overcome. The plight of each character pulls at your heart strings and keeps the reader on the edge, never wanting to pause from the story. Steinbeck tried to find an organic means of expression for each book that he wrote. He considered his work to be experimental. He intentionally used a documentary style for The Grapes of Wrath, the fabular for The Pearl, the picaresque for Tortilla Flat, and so on. Generally he belongs to the myth-symbol school of the twenties. Dreams, the unconscious, recurring myths, symbolic charactersthese qualities are characteristic of what Jung called the visionary style. Realism, Steinbeck once noted, is the surface form for his interest in psychology and philosophy (Lewis, 2011). Impact on society John Steinbeck was one of very few United States writers to dabble in the realm of social problems. He attacked the issues and made them prominent in his writings. In the grapes of wrath he took on the depression and told the story of Oklahoma citizens who fled the dust bowl to migrate to California for work only to find themselves taken advantage of and forced to deal with unforeseen social and economic problems. Steinbeck took on mental retardation, social prejudices and socially acceptable behavior with the character Lennie Small in the novel Of Mice and Men. In one of his last works East of Eden Steinbeck took on Good versus evil and in his final writing Travels with Charley Steinbeck wrote about his impressions during a three-month tour in a truck that led him through forty American states. He died in New York City in 1968. John Steinbeck is one of the 20th Century’s most significant writers, receiving the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962. Steinbecks influence and ideas on social justice for the economic underclass of American society can be clearly seen in the works of Bob Dylan and others (Woody Guthrie, Billy Brag, Bruce Springsteen and others) (Tuffey, 2004) Closing American novelist, story writer, playwright, and essayist. John Steinbeck received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962. He is best remembered for THE GRAPES OF WRATH (1939), a novel widely considered to be a 20th-century classic. The impact of the book has been compared to that of Harriet Beecher Stowes Uncle Toms Cabin. Steinbecks epic about the migration of the Joad family, driven from its bit of land in Oklahoma to California, provoked a wide debate about the hard lot of migrant laborers, and helped to put an agricultural reform into effect (Liukkonen, 2002). In Researching information for this paper I found it amazing that not everyone saw Steinbeck for the literary genius that he was. Many people overlooked Steinbeck’s writings considering them simple. Many of his fans do not believe that he received the credit that he was due and feel that he was overlooked and snubbed by some. This author personally loves the dynamic of each of Steinbeck’s stories. The character stories along with social issues that were real, issues that pulled you in and made you think is what made Steinbeck standout and a true artistic Genius. John Steinbeck died of heart attack in New York on December 20, 1968. In the posthumously published THE ACTS OF KING ARTHUR AND HIS NOBLE KNIGHTS (1976), Steinbeck turned his back on contemporary subjects and brought to life the Arthurian world with its ancient codes of honor. Steinbeck had started the work with enthusiasm but never finished it (Liukkonen, 2002). Steinbeck has transcended generations and his literary works entertain as much now as they have in the past. Lastly I will leave you with these words from The Grapes of Wrath that truly show John Steinbeck’s writing Genius. Man, unlike any other thing organic or inorganic in the universe, grows beyond his work, walks up in the stairs of his concepts, emerges ahead of his accomplishments. (from The Grapes of Wrath) . References Kamiya, G. (1995, March 12). John steinbeck a brilliant new biography may get Salinas favorite son some over due respect in the literary world. Retrieved from http://www. sfgate. com/cgi-bin/article. cgi? f=/e/a/1995/03/12/style13230. dtl Lewis, C. (2011, June 16). John Steinbeck (1902-1968). Retrieved from http://www9. georgetown. edu/faculty/bassr/health/syllabuild. iguide/steinbec. html Liukkonen, P. (2002). John Steinbeck (1902-1968). Retrieved from http://www. kjrjasto. sci. fi/johnstei. htm Nobelprize. org. (2011, June 21). The Nobel Prize in literature 1962 John Steinbeck. Retrieved from http://nobelprize. org/nobel_prizes/literature/1962/steinbeck-bio. html Steinbeck, J. (2011). The Grapes of Wrath. Retrieved from http://www. enotes. com/grapes-of-wrath/author-biography Tuffey, D. (2004). John steinbeck;s view on personal ethics. Retrieved from http://www. ict. griffith. edu. au/davidt/steinbeck. htm

Facts and Figures About the Cave Lion

Facts and Figures About the Cave Lion The cave lion is a subspecies of lion that went extinct around 12,400 years ago. It was one of the largest subspecies of a lion to have ever lived. Scientists believe it was as much as ten percent larger than modern lions. Its often depicted in cave paintings as having some kind of collar fluff and possibly stripes. Cave Lion Basics Scientific Name:  Panthera leo spelaeaHabitat: Woodlands and mountains of EurasiaHistorical Period: Late Pleistocene-Modern (500,000-2,000 years ago)Size and Weight: Up to 7-8 feet long and 700-800 poundsDiet: MeatDistinguishing Characteristics: Large size; powerful limbs; possibly manes and stripes About the Cave Lion (Panthera Leo Spelaea) One of the most feared predators of the late Pleistocene epoch, the Cave Lion (Panthera leo spelaea) is technically classified as a subspecies of Panthera leo, the modern lion. This was discovered by a genetic sequencing of the cave lions fossil remains. Essentially, this was a plus-sized cat that roamed the vast expanse of Eurasia. It feasted on a wide array of mammalian megafauna including prehistoric horses and prehistoric elephants. The cave lion was also a voracious predator of the cave bear, Ursus spelaeus; in fact, this cat received its name not because it lived in caves, but because numerous intact skeletons have been found in Cave Bear habitats. Cave lions preyed opportunistically on hibernating cave bears, which must have seemed like a good idea until their intended victims woke up! Extinction As is the case with many prehistoric predators, its unclear why the cave lion vanished off the face of the earth about 2,000 years ago. Its possible that it was hunted to extinction by the early human settlers of Eurasia, who would have had a vested interest in banding together and eliminating any cave lions in the immediate vicinity. These same humans regarded the cave lion with reverence and awe, as evidenced by numerous cave paintings. But its more likely that the cave lion succumbed to a combination of climate change and the disappearance of its usual prey; after all, small bands of Homo sapiens could more easily over-hunt prehistoric deer, pigs, and another mammalian megafauna  than these huge, fanged predators. In October 2015, researchers in Siberia made an astonishing discovery: a group of frozen cave lion kittens, dating to about 10,000 B.C. One of them still had its fur intact. While its not uncommon for explorers to stumble across quick-frozen wooly mammoths, this is the first time a prehistoric cat has been found in permafrost. It opens up entirely new avenues of investigation into life during the late Pleistocene epoch: for instance, laboratory technicians may be able to analyze the mothers milk recently ingested by the kittens and thus discern their mothers diet. It also may be possible to recover fragments of DNA from the cave kittens soft tissues, which could, conceivably, one day facilitate the de-extinction of Panthera leo spelaea.

Biography of Egon Schiele, Expressionist Artist

Biography of Egon Schiele, Expressionist Artist Austrian artist Egon Schiele (June 12, 1890- October 31, 1918) is best known for his expressionistic- and often sexually explicit- depictions of the human body. He was a successful artist in his time, but his career was cut short by the Spanish flu pandemic. He died at age 28. Fast Facts: Egon Schiele Occupation: ArtistKnown For: Sexually explicit paintings that shocked audiences and pushed the boundaries of the art world.Born: June 12, 1890 in Tulln, Austria-HungaryDied: October 31, 1918 in Vienna, Austria-HungaryEducation: Academy of Fine Arts ViennaSelected Works: Kneeling Nude with Raised Hands (1910), Self-Portrait with Chinese Lantern Plant (1912), Death and the Maiden (1915)Notable Quote: Art cannot be modern. Art is primordially eternal. Early Life Born in Tulln, Austria, on the banks of the Danube River, Egon Schiele was the son of Adolf Schiele, a station master for the Austrian State Railways. Trains were the subject of many of Egons early drawings as a child. He was known to spend many hours drawing and avoiding other topics in school. Egon Schiele had three sisters: Melanie, Elvira, and Gerti. Elvira often modeled for her brothers paintings. She married Schieles friend, the artist Anton Peschka. Schiele was close to his sister Gerti, the youngest child of the family; some biographical accounts suggest that the relationship was incestuous. Schieles father died from syphilis when the artist was 15. Schiele became a ward of his maternal uncle, Leopold Czihaczek. With the change of households, Schiele experienced support for his interest in art. In 1906, he enrolled at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna. Career Beginnings In 1907, a teenage Egon Schiele sought out the famed artist Gustav Klimt, the founder of the Vienna Secession. Klimt took a keen interest in Schiele and bought his drawings while also introducing him to other patrons. Schieles early works show a strong influence of art nouveau and the style of the Vienna Secession. Klimt invited Schiele to exhibit his work at the 1909 Vienna Kuntschau. Schiele encountered the work of many other artists at the event, including Edvard Munch and Vincent van Gogh. Shortly after, Schieles work began to explore the human form in a sometimes sexually explicit manner. His 1910 painting Kneeling Nude with Raised Hands is seen as one of the most important nude pieces of the early 20th century. However, many observers at the time considered Schieles frank sexual content disturbing. In later years, Schiele distanced himself from Klimts ornate art nouveau-inspired aesthetic. Instead, his works began to take on a dark, emotional feel, emphasizing the intensity of human psychology. Arrest and Controversy From 1910 to 1912, Schiele participated in a wide range of group shows in Prague, Budapest, Cologne, and Munich. He founded the Neukunstgrupped (New Art Group) as a rebellion against the conservative nature of the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna. The group included other young artists such as Austrian expressionist Oskar Kokoschka. In 1911, Schiele met 17-year-old Walburga Neuzil. Neuzil lived with Schiele and served as a model for many of his paintings. Together, they left Vienna for Krumau, a small town that is now part of the Czech Republic. It was the birthplace of Egons mother. The couple was driven out of the town by local residents who disapproved of their way of life, including the fact that Schiele hired local teenage girls as nude models. Schiele and Neuzel moved to the small Austrian town of Neulengbach, about 35 kilometers west of Vienna. Egons art studio became a gathering place for local teenagers, and in 1912, he was arrested for seducing a young underaged girl. Police searching the studio seized more than one hundred drawings considered pornographic. A judge later dropped charges of seduction and abduction but convicted the artist of exhibiting erotic works in places accessible to children. He spent 24 days in jail. Schiele painted Self-Portrait with Chinese Lantern Plant in 1912. Historians consider it one of his most significant self-portraits. He depicted himself staring at viewers in a confident fashion. It avoids an idealized view of the artist by showing lines and scars on his face and neck. It was exhibited in Munich in 1912 and now resides in Viennas Leopold Museum. In 1913, the Galerie Hans Goltz produced Egon Schieles first solo show. He had another solo exhibition in Paris in 1914. In 1915, Schiele decided to marry Edith Harms, a daughter of middle-class parents in Vienna. He reportedly expected to also keep his relationship with Walburga Neuzil, but when she found out about the intent to marry Edith, she left, and Schiele never saw her again. He painted Death and the Maiden in response to the split with Neuzil, and he married Edith on June 17, 1915. Military Service Schiele avoided signing up to fight in World War I for nearly a year, but three days after his wedding, authorities called him to active duty in the army. Edith followed him to Prague, the city where he was stationed, and they were allowed to occasionally see each other. Despite his military service guarding and escorting Russian prisoners, Schiele continued to paint and exhibit his work. He had shows in Zurich, Prague, and Dresden. Due to a heart condition, Schiele received a desk job assignment as a clerk at a prisoner of war camp. There, he drew and painted imprisoned Russian officers. Final Years and Death In 1917, Schiele returned to Vienna and co-founded the Vienna Kunsthalle (Art Hall) with his mentor, Gustav Klimt. Schiele painted prolifically and participated in the Vienna Secessions 49th exhibit in 1918. Fifty of his works were displayed in the main hall of the event. The exhibition was a rousing success. In 1918, the worldwide Spanish flu pandemic struck Vienna. Six months pregnant, Edith Schiele died of the flu on October 28, 1918. Egon Schiele died three days later. He was 28 years old. Legacy Egon Schiele was a crucial figure in the development of Expressionism in painting. Schiele painted a phenomenal number of self-portraits and executed more than 3,000 drawings. His works often have stark emotional content in addition to the frank study of the human body. He worked alongside both Gustav Klimt and Oskar Kokoschka, other key Austrian artists of the era. Schieles short yet prolific art career, the sexually explicit content of his work, and the allegations of sexual misconduct against the artist himself have made him the subject of multiple films, essays, and dance productions. The Leopold Museum in Vienna has the most extensive collection of Schieles work: over 200 pieces. Schieles work draws some of the highest contemporary prices at auction. In 2011, Houses With Colorful Laundry (Suburb II) sold for $40.1 million. In 2018, the 100th anniversary of Egon Schieles death inspired significant exhibitions of his work in London, Paris, and New York. Source Natter, Tobias G. Egon Schiele: The Complete Paintings, 1909-1918. Taschen, 2017.

Human Trafficking Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Human Trafficking - Research Paper Example This research paper will explore the issue of human trafficking, look at its causes, effects, how it can be prevented and analyze its magnitude in a few sample drawing countries. Despite the fact that human trafficking is one of the main issues facing the world currently, there is no reliable data that can be used to estimate the number of persons trafficked annually. The UN Office on Drugs and Crime, a body that is responsible for monitoring trafficking for the United Nations, explains that estimating the exact size of the human trafficking is a difficult task because the act is committed underground, and it often go misidentified or not identified at all.2 In addition, victims of human trafficking are often afraid to report cases of abduction to the authority because of the regular stern threats they get from the traffickers. However, various controversial research studies estimate that at least 600,000 to 800,000 young children and women are trafficked per year across the world. These are scary figures, especially considering the fact that the figures do not account for the number of persons trafficked within their own countries. Majority of the human trafficking victims are duped into the vice by the false promises made regarding to job opportunities.3 This is very common especially in the developing countries or the so-called third world countries, where the level of poverty is extremely high. Sources indicate that a significant number of women who are trafficked from these countries are lured into this trade using false marriage as the bait. In the developed countries such as USA, most of the human trafficking cases are related to sexual purposes. According to a study that was conducted on this topic in the country, more than 40% of all the human trafficking investigations in the USA are related to sexual trafficking of a child and roughly 80% of such cases involve United States citizens.

Conscious and subconscious information processing Essay

Conscious and subconscious information processing - Essay Example Many analogies have been made to describe the conscious mind. One effective metaphor might be the telescope. Our conscious mind looks through it and sees a particular object in focus, unaware of the world outside of that telescope lens. Thus consciousness is limited to a small radius, although it serves its purpose. Another metaphor for the conscious mind would be an iceberg. The conscious mind is the tip of the iceberg that extends out of the ocean. The conscious mind perceives the world from information derived from the subconscious below, and from the physical world around it. Subconsciousness literally means beneath the threshold of consciousness, or that part of the mind that lies just below the level of conscious thinking. In the example of the telescope, while the conscious mind is looking through the small opening, the subconscious is recording the impressions while also searching memory banks for corroborating information. The subconscious mind acts as a personal secretary who records conscious data and who also retrieves relevant memories from the unconscious mind. It behaves like the RAM (random access memory) in a computer. It filters and retains information for the purpose of directing it to its necessary applications. A very active subconscious mind detects patterns to predetermine conscious thinking and behavior. For example, when we are first learning how to drive a car, our conscious awareness must be extremely focused in order to learn the skill. Once we have learned how to drive, the conscious mind goes on autopilot, and the subconscious t akes over, doing the driving for us. The way the subconscious operates is far different from the way conscious mind works. While the conscious mind is objective, relying on logic and literal thinking, the subconscious is subjective, processing the subliminal and symbolic meaning of words and imagery. Thus it is the subconscious mind that retains feelings and images from

A detailed account of the Black Tuesday events Essay Example for Free

A detailed account of the Black Tuesday events Essay Question: 1 Black Tuesday refers to a day in Bahamian history, April 27, 1965. The then-Opposition Leader and former Prime Minister of the Bahamas Sir Lynden Pindling threw the Speakers Mace out of the House of Assembly window in protest against the unfair gerrymandering of constituency boundaries by the then ruling United Bahamian Party (UBP) government. Thursday the 16th day of April, 1965, around 3 o’clock in the afternoon, the draft order providing for the new constituency boundaries under section 63 of the 1964 constitution was in session in the house of assembly. In the chair was Dr. Raymond .W. Sawyer, the Deputy Speaker; on the floor was Sir Milo Butler, the member for the Western District. Sir Milo Butler shouted out in range at The Chairman â€Å"This Constituency Commission had done wicked things in cutting up New Providence and the Out Islands in a damnable way in order to give themselves the Minority Government a distinct advantage in the next General Elections† Sir Milo continued talking without ending. See more: Old Age Problem essay Only a little bit of grain of sand was in the quarter hour glass, the Chairman turned to Sir Milo and said, â€Å"I am very sorry but the member’s time has run out†, â€Å"Sir Milo replied â€Å"It’s very kind of you to remind me, but I intend to talk on. I ain’t going to let any grain of sand stop me from talking. Don’t throw sand in my mouth just yet I ain’t dead yet†. The Deputy Speaker noticed that Sir Milo Butler reached further than he should, suspended the proceedings and reported this incident to the Speaker, The Hon. Robert (Bobby) Symonette. The Speaker, having been informed, turned to Sir Milo Butler and asked him to be seated. The people’s champion misunderstood the language of parliament. â€Å"I am not addressing my chair. I am addressing this House,† he replied. Due to his disobedience Milo Butler was named under rule 37, It was then motion seconded to Hon. Geoffrey A.D Johnston and it was passed. The Spea ker turned, to Milo and asked him to please withdraw. He acted out and didn’t want to withdraw. He continuously pound his right fist on the table, scattered papers and said, â€Å"If I leave Mr. Speaker you are going to have to take me out†. That was his last refusal. It took four police-sergeants to physically remove Sir Milo from The House of Assembly. Shortly after that, A.D. Hanna spoke over his time limit and he also refused to stop speaking and was carried out by two police men, But Mr. A.D. Hanna wanted equal rights; he wanted four police men to carry him out as well  therefore two more carried him out. Tuesday, 27 of April a week later the House of Assembly met again which was the reply to the April 16th meeting. In the Speaker’s elevated chair was the Honorable Robert .H. Symonette and on his right was his father, the Premier, Sir Roland .T. Symonette. On the Speaker’s left was the Leader of the Opposition, Sir Lynden .O. Pindling and members of the P.L.P further down. The P.L.P wasn’t so different from Sir. Milo Butler, they opened windows when the room was air-conditioned; they stamped their feet’s and beat on tables ranted and rave in one gesture against the draft constituency order. Sir Lynden Pindling lifted the ancient mace from the Speaker’s desk and said â€Å"This mace is the symbol of authority, and the authority for the islands belongs to the people, and the people are outside of this House and so this mace belongs outside too.† Sir Pindling threw the mace through the window while Sir Milo butler threw the two quarter hour glasses out of the same window. The P.L.P all stormed out of The House of Assembly, where they were welcomed by a crowed of their followers on Bay Street. It brought a halt for an hour or so, however after the mace was replace. The U.B.P’s had power laboured long and hard and finally passed the Draft Constituency Order into Law nevertheless the official opposition’s absence.

Poems :: Poetry Essays

Poems Star-watching The moon grows smaller As it slips up behind the aspen tree. Warm, night winds rustles the leaves While across the sky white, pin-point stars spread Earlier, the moon was huge and yellow, Sitting low over the eastern horizon. A refreshing sight after the severe heat Of the late August day. The cold, dampness of the ground Seeps into my body. Grass ends tickle through the fabric of my shirt. It is a good night for star-watching. Red Dust Clouds Dragon-shaped clouds are gilded gold by the setting sun As it slips towards the flat, western edge of the desert. The sagebrush, lining both sides of the red dirt road, Houses an assortment of singing insects, Or was it stinging insects. At any rate, Their tracks, along with those of fox, coyote, snakes And a varied assortment of rodents, criss-cross the road. I obliterate them with the toe of my shoe, Kicking up a small cloud of red dust with each scuffing step. On Rain The swirling water runs brown Spring forever rains River banks are swept under The shining sun bakes the earth Green leaves turn yellow The rains are long forgotten Fall rains mat dead brown leaves Carpeting the ground Gray branches pray towards heaven Cold rain becomes falling snow Drifts cover the creek Spring will melt the snow again. Moon Shadows Shining forth from the black sky, a brilliant image, the glowing face of the moon, drawing on the snow-covered ground with its light. The shadows on the ground mirror the moon's own dark shadows. The stark lines make faces on the snow, dark eyes, with white cheeks and lips sparkling. The faces seem to hold a certain brilliance all their own. More than just the tangible night light reflecting in shimmers off slopes of snow, It is as if all of the knowledge stored in the moon had passed through moonbeams to hide in the dark shadows, behind the snow's surface, sparkling. Icy fingers reach out to my soul, the fingers of snow- shadows. Made out of the endless, luminous light from the knowledge of moon-beams and star-beams. Theirs, a brilliant plot, they capture my eyes, my being, with their own sparkling eyes. They see past my eyes into my innermost soul, where it is dark. Poems :: Poetry Essays Poems Star-watching The moon grows smaller As it slips up behind the aspen tree. Warm, night winds rustles the leaves While across the sky white, pin-point stars spread Earlier, the moon was huge and yellow, Sitting low over the eastern horizon. A refreshing sight after the severe heat Of the late August day. The cold, dampness of the ground Seeps into my body. Grass ends tickle through the fabric of my shirt. It is a good night for star-watching. Red Dust Clouds Dragon-shaped clouds are gilded gold by the setting sun As it slips towards the flat, western edge of the desert. The sagebrush, lining both sides of the red dirt road, Houses an assortment of singing insects, Or was it stinging insects. At any rate, Their tracks, along with those of fox, coyote, snakes And a varied assortment of rodents, criss-cross the road. I obliterate them with the toe of my shoe, Kicking up a small cloud of red dust with each scuffing step. On Rain The swirling water runs brown Spring forever rains River banks are swept under The shining sun bakes the earth Green leaves turn yellow The rains are long forgotten Fall rains mat dead brown leaves Carpeting the ground Gray branches pray towards heaven Cold rain becomes falling snow Drifts cover the creek Spring will melt the snow again. Moon Shadows Shining forth from the black sky, a brilliant image, the glowing face of the moon, drawing on the snow-covered ground with its light. The shadows on the ground mirror the moon's own dark shadows. The stark lines make faces on the snow, dark eyes, with white cheeks and lips sparkling. The faces seem to hold a certain brilliance all their own. More than just the tangible night light reflecting in shimmers off slopes of snow, It is as if all of the knowledge stored in the moon had passed through moonbeams to hide in the dark shadows, behind the snow's surface, sparkling. Icy fingers reach out to my soul, the fingers of snow- shadows. Made out of the endless, luminous light from the knowledge of moon-beams and star-beams. Theirs, a brilliant plot, they capture my eyes, my being, with their own sparkling eyes. They see past my eyes into my innermost soul, where it is dark.