Holy lands

WCU Author/Contributor (non-WCU co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
Ellen Fletcher Knight (Creator)
Institution
Western Carolina University (WCU )
Web Site: http://library.wcu.edu/
Advisor
Catherine Carter

Abstract: On the surface, “Holy Lands” seems to be simply a collection of poetry examining the relationship between people and the land. The poems’ subjects all revolve around family or nature. However, within these poems, two narratives emerge that deepen the connection between these two agents. The main narrative of this collection is two-fold: there is the story of my family and our land; and there is the story of First Snake, the snake from the Garden of Eden. The importance of recording history, and the acceptance that we change as our reality does, tie these stories together. Both stories chart the changes in land and the people/creatures who interact with that land. The collection is divided into two sections reminiscent of the Old and New Testament. The first section presents the story of the farmland and introduces a family, much like the Old Testament told the story of a people and their land. The first section ruminates on the farm and its decline. The second section introduces the voice of First Snake. First Snake offers the possibility of redemption through understanding the process of change; we must accept and embrace change, move with it, and not regret its occurrence. “Holy Lands” consistently uses Biblical imagery and colloquial language to seat the poems in a thoroughly southern reality. By using common and regional language, the poems are able to humbly approach issues of faith, family, and the importance of interacting with out world.

Additional Information

Publication
Thesis
Language: English
Date: 2012
Keywords
family, land, poetry, southern
Subjects
Eden -- Poetry
Family farms -- Poetry
Families -- Poetry

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