Blog post 2- Bridget

 The three works on trees that we looked at for class were each very interesting as well as very different from each other. The first, "Poems about Trees" was very different. I have read generative poems in other classes (of course) and I really never know what to think about them. This one was interesting because it seemed to be a mix of trees and sexual-related content. This mix was very strange to me. I always have a hard time with generative poems because I never know how to look at them. Do they have meaning or if the meaning that you may find in them just a coincidence of randomness. Either way, this one made me a bit uncomfortable because of the strange mix of the two common themes. The article on what trees can teach us was very insightful and heartwarming. The inspiration that trees can give us, as the author Popova states that they live only to "represent themselves" (Popova 2014). Even when they are far away from others, and they are commonly away from their true family because of the scattering of seeds, they are strong in their solitary lives. I really enjoyed the final line that states, "Whoever has learned how to listen to trees no longer wants to be a tree. He wants to be nothing except what he is" (Popova, 2014). I thought this was beautiful, that trees which just exist as themselves can teach us to find home and comfort just in our bodies and existing lives. The video essay, Treeline was really beautiful as well. The visuals of the trees covered in snow looked like warriors to me, braving the storms and standing tall. This shared a mix of the spiritual and the scientific and those in the video seemed to understand both of these things. I've heard about trees ability to communicate with each other, but it confuses me how the scientists can tell what they say to each other! As for the mode, I think the video and visual aspect of this made the piece really powerful. Mostly I found the end, after discussing all the importance and power of trees, seeing the trees being cut down and the destroyed forests really hurt me! It is heartbreaking to see that destruction after hearing about the wonderful connection that people carry with trees and seeing the beauty of them throughout the video as well. Video essays can carry so much with their visuals as well as their music.