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Thoughts on the landscape
Published: 6/16/2008 5:08 PM
Last Modified: 6/16/2008 5:08 PM

My wife and I recently returned from a trip that took us across the width of the state of Arkansas. It's a journey we've made many times, but this time, as we drove along, my wife said, "Something about this place looks different."

It took us a while for this difference to sink in, but we realized it at about the same time: Trees.

Trees that looked like trees, all their branches in place.

I remember the first time I drove down the Turner Turnpike in the wake of the ice storms of this winter, and seeing acre after acre of snapped and split and crumpled trees. I've gathered several truckloads of fallen branches from my yard and that of my father-in-law -- and there's still stuff falling out of the ancient, towering pecan trees on his property.

Joyce Kilmer wrote the famous lines:

"I think that I shall never see
A poem as lovely as a tree."

Then how do we describe the wreckage left behind, when nature's fury "unmakes" a tree?

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ARTS

James D. Watts Jr. has lived in Oklahoma for most his life, even though he still has people saying to him, "Don't sound like you're from around these parts." A University of Oklahoma Phi Beta Kappa graduate, Watts has received the Governor Arts Award, Harwelden Award and the National Conference of Christians and Jews Beth Macklin Award for his writing. Before coming to the Tulsa World, Watts worked for the Tulsa Tribune.

Contact him at (918) 581-8478.

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Archive

Past Articles By James D. Watts Jr

2/15/2013		'Concept/OK' exhibit ends Saturday
2/14/2013		Symphony to host piano soloist
2/14/2013		Broadway tours bring 'Shrek,' improv musical to Tulsa area this weekend
2/14/2013		Arts roundup: Improv reigns at several upcoming theater events
2/14/2013		'Lion King' returns to Tulsa PAC June 4
2/12/2013		Review: Signature Symphony reprises '100 Years of Oklahoma Music'
2/11/2013		Tulsa Symphony's concert salutes diverse American music
2/10/2013		Cherokee artist weaves messages into baskets
2/10/2013		Tesla Quartet set for Tulsa residency next week with variety of activities
2/10/2013		Jim Murphy wins 2013 Anne Zarrow Award
2/10/2013		LBJ chronicler Robert Caro to speak at TU on Tuesday
2/9/2013		Theater review: Playhouse makes "Barefoot in the Park" believable

James D. Watts Jr's Blog Archive:

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8/2012	7/2012	6/2012	5/2012	4/2012	3/2012
2/2012	1/2012	12/2011	11/2011	10/2011	9/2011
8/2011	7/2011	6/2011	5/2011	4/2011	3/2011
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8/2010	7/2010	6/2010	5/2010	4/2010	3/2010
2/2010	1/2010	12/2009	11/2009	10/2009	9/2009
8/2009	7/2009	6/2009	5/2009	4/2009	3/2009
2/2009	1/2009	12/2008	11/2008	10/2008	9/2008
8/2008	7/2008	6/2008	5/2008	4/2008

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