Slipping Away

Night is falling
and the sky is flowing
through its myriad of colors.

Watching as trees
that just a short time ago
were distinct and clear

draw further
into the distance
and into our memories.

And when all about is dark,
the trees and the day
will slip away into the night.

And they will be . . .
as a dream.

— Dan Hardison

Photo by Dan Hardison
Hickory Nut Gorge, Western North Carolina

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Dreams Remembered

Haiku and image by Dan Hardison
Photo: Balsam, North Carolina


Modern Haiga, December 2009

Directions

The best time is late afternoon
when the sun strobes through
the columns of trees as you are hiking up,
and when you find an agreeable rock
to sit on, you will be able to see
the light pouring down into the woods
and breaking into the shapes and tones
of things and you will hear nothing
but a sprig of birdsong or the leafy
falling of a cone or nut through the trees,
and if this is your day you might even
spot a hare or feel the wing-beats of geese
driving overhead toward some destination.

But it is hard to speak of these things
how the voices of light enter the body
and begin to recite their stories
how the earth holds us painfully against
its breast made of humus and brambles
how we who will soon be gone regard
the entities that continue to return
greener than ever, spring water flowing
through a meadow and the shadows of clouds
passing over the hills and the ground
where we stand in the tremble of thought
taking the vast outside into ourselves.

— Billy Collins
From his book "The Art of Drowning"

Photo by Dan Hardison
Bald River Falls, Eastern Tennessee

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Postcard: Chimney Rock

Chimney Rock Mountain and Entrance to Motor Road, Chimney Rock, NC
(Unused - divided back, c1920s)


Tucked away in Hickory Nut Gorge of Western North Carolina, Chimney Rock has stood the test of time. And if you have seen the 1992 movie "The Last of the Mohicans," then you know the beauty of Chimney Rock Park.

Located along Highway 74A as it follows the Rocky Broad River, Chimney Rock Park has welcomed visitors since 1902. Its name comes from a 315-foot granite rock formation that stands like a chimney on the side of a cliff. The entrance is across a bridge spanning the river and follows a twisting road up to the base of the chimney. During the early days of the park, a series of paths, stairs, and ladders took visitors from the parking lot at the base up to the top of Chimney Rock. Since 1949, an elevator built inside the cliff can carry visitors 26 stories to the top.

Besides a visit to Chimney Rock, several other unusual rock formations can be found along five different hiking trails. Also found in the park is Hickory Nut Falls. At 404 feet, it is one of the highest waterfalls east of the Mississippi River. The Pavilion dining room and the Cliff Dwellers Inn that were once part of the park are gone today, but you can still enjoy the Sky Lounge at the top of the elevator and the Nature Center.

For over 100 years, Chimney Rock Park was privately owned and operated. In 2007, North Carolina purchased it to become the centerpiece of a new state park. Still in development, Chimney Rock State Park includes over 4,000 acres in Hickory Nut Gorge and is part of the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area. Thanks to the state of North Carolina, the unique features and natural beauty of the area will be preserved for generations to come.

— Dan Hardison

Also available:
Message from the Past: Visiting Chimney Rock

Lake Lure from Precipice above Chimney Rock, Western North Carolina
(Unused - divided back, c1930)

On the Edge of Light

Haiku and image by Dan Hardison
Photo: Wilmington, North Carolina