Rediscovering Walden Pond

I came across a picture book of subjects close to Henry David Thoreau’s heart. These were his personal articles of faith that he has so passionately written about…the simple life, communion with nature at its pristine state, common people trudging through life, the exuberance of mere existence and the cry against government impositions.

The stirring prose of Thoreau juxtaposed with these strong and insistent images creates an indelible mental stain and a grating in the chest. Such a strong visceral impact stays on indefinitely and one is set to musing.

“Masses of men living in quiet desperation…”, is depicted graphically by a monotonic image of tired old men carrying their lunch boxes to a work site. You could almost feel the pain on the calluses of dragged feet through the gravel and share the blankness of the weary mien on their inert faces. Is there a balm for despair?