Platero And I by Juan Ramon Jimenez

 

   Those of us who experience the depth of the emotional connection with a non-human animal will understand the significance of Platero and I.

     Juan Ramon Jimenez’s poetical prose is about the shared experiences between the author and Platero. Platero is a donkey; Juan Ramon Jimenez reveals the soul of his humble donkey friend with tenderness, giving way to a poignant emotional connection with the reader.

     Juan Ramon Jimenez’s Platero and I is a memorable tribute to Platero, his inseparable companion, as they share moments of contemplation, joy, sadness and reflections. Their encounters with animals, people and the beauty of their natural surroundings in the small town of Moguer in Andalusia, Spain, fill the reader with wonder.

   “He is so much like me, so different from the others that I have come now to believe we dream the same… his dreams mine… and my dreams his.”

   The mutual understanding between Platero and Juan Ramon creates a sense of comfort.

   “We understand each other. I let him go wherever he wishes and always he takes me where it is I wish to go.”

   The narrative warms the heart and transports the readers to a sanctuary of serenity where everything turns into a metaphor or an expression of beauty. The author invites the reader to see everything through the eyes of a poet.

  The presence of Platero in Juan Ramon Jimenez’s life clearly connects him to his surroundings and people in meaningful ways. The author also appears to relish their shared solitude, which appears to provide Juan Ramon with opportunities to paint and read. Every instant seems to be pregnant with intrigue and fascination.

  This is the kind of book that touches you so deeply, it can move you to tears. It swathes you in a blanket of gratitude for the simple moments of life, the immaterial treasures that make life meaningful.

  The souls of Platero and Juan Ramon coalesce in the magical sweetness of nature. The freshness of the morning breath, the brightness of the moon, the colors of the sunset adopt a new dimension of reality. They become unique moments of elation and healing.  

  Juan Ramon Jimenez’s bond with Platero is so precious and intimate that he does not even perceive Platero as a donkey but as a person.

  “He is tender and loving like a young boy, a small girl, a child… but inside he is strong, he is dry like a rock, like the land he walks.”

   Platero’s gentle spirit permeates the poet’s way of looking at everything; their connection feels eternal, like the seasons and cycles in nature. It transcends the limited scope of their individual lives. Their kindness expresses itself in their interactions with animals, people and landscapes. Even though brief unpleasant situations take us by surprise in the story, the empathetic voice of the poet never fails to bring us back to the gentle, patient attitude of Platero and Juan Ramon to restore a sense of hope, immersing ourselves once again in a moment of balance and peacefulness despite the abrupt despair, grief or the appalling cruelty of others…

     Juan Ramon Jimenez was a poet, editor and critic who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1956. He was born on December 23, 1881 in Moguer, Andalusia, where he wrote Platero and I. He started writing when he was a child. His most famous masterpiece, Platero and I was published in 1914; a longer version of it was later published in 1917.

    You can learn more about his life by visiting the website of the Poetry Foundation:

 https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/juan-ramon-jimaenez

 To visit some of the places in his poetical prose, enjoy this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZR0MNJ4Uuc

 

Here's a video about his biography and poetic work:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHgXcxmH6mM

 I recommend the full version of the book. The photo of the book cover in this post showcases an old complete edition in Spanish that I possess. It contains the most delightful drawings. I am lucky to have it…

  To satisfy my curiosity I borrowed an English translation of the book from the library. Unfortunately, many parts have been cut off from the translation. Make sure you find the complete version of this delicate memorable book, whether you read it in English or Spanish. Platero and I has been translated into more than fifty languages.

 

 

If you enjoyed this post, feel free to read my writing on the following books:

Deer Man by Geoffroy Delorme

Second Nature: the inner lives of animals

Dirty Gourmet: plant power: Food for your Outdoor Adventures

100 Bike Rides of a Lifetime by Roff Smith

  

  Biking is akin to flying. The simple act of bicycling reminds us to move forward with both excitement and balance.

  Bicycles are not designed to move backwards; they do not pollute the air, and they help us stay fit, strong and healthy. What’s not to like about them?

  I reflected on the wonders of my biking experiences when I wrote about the book Ride Cycle the World, but 100 Bike Rides of a Lifetime published by National Geographic is ten times better. The quality of the stunning photographs will empower your imagination to travel to distant places across the world.

  You will be enraptured by the artistic sceneries created by Mother Nature. You will ride through history as well.

  You may find yourself hovering along the Underground Railroad, roaming by the Berlin Wall, and trundling through the most pristine places of every continent.

 You may take a jaunt through the beauty of Medieval European towns like this one in Germany: Nordlingen. This one “has the distinction of being among the very few German towns whose complete Medieval walls are still standing.”

 You will admire the vibrant views of Mediterranean scenes from islands and towns in Spain and France. You will encounter islands you've never heard of, and may even discover hidden "gems" or reunite with towns you’ve only seen in your dreams.

  Did you know that Slovenia is one of the greenest places in Europe? “It holds the continent’s record for carbon dioxide absorption with its forests absorbing nine metric tons of carbon dioxide per hectare per year. “

  Just like me, you will be tempted to explore this cozy bookshop in Wales, but, hold on, you can't jump in… You will make up for it, however, because Roff Smith has some book suggestions that will mesmerize your reader’s heart…I will let you find them...

 You may be enchanted by mysterious elves in Iceland… or simply revel in the spellbinding imagery of your choice. There is no need to read this book in order. Flip through the pages and settle where the photographs seize your curiosity.

 

 There is so much to learn and read about. We are short of photographs after all…

 Dive into the magic of this book, and then get on your own bike and dream on. Celebrate the beauty of Mother Earth. The more we learn, the more committed we become to protect her precious body, the home we inhabit together, the home that is part of who we are as people of the Earth. May our actions honor her wonders and our duty to live in harmony together.

 If you appreciate this post, feel free to read my reviews on these books as well:

 

Dirty Gourmet

Ride Cycle the World

Sweet in Tooth and Claw

 

 

Ride Cycle The World by Eyewitness

 

  I am thankful to live in a place where drivers are respectful to bikers. I use my bike as a means of transportation whenever I can. It fills my heart with joy to see the smiles of children as they persuade their mothers to get out on their bicycles instead of using their car.

 The rippling effects of biking go beyond a simple ride. I cherish the sense of freedom and lightness biking affords, for it expands the mind and invigorates the body. Whether you choose a quiet ride by the pine trees, a jaunt through the countryside or the exploration of a city, you get the chance to appreciate the experience of being fully present, to absorb the unique beauty of each scene, and to inhale the scents with a curious mindset.  

 

You become motivated to welcome the surroundings with a renewed sense of wonder and delight.

 

 Ride Cycle the World takes the adventure to a new dimension: it invites us to use the bicycle for journeys across the globe.

 In this book you will find ideas to take your bike across various landscapes and cultures. There are practical recommendations, photographs and maps to inspire everyone. You can choose the routes that suit you.

 I haven’t finished this book because I like to savor it slowly. Every night before going to sleep I read three pages from Ride Cycle The World to go on an imaginary ride somewhere. Every page awakens the mystery of a new adventure, offering a path, trail, or road that regales you with ideas on what to enjoy about a specific place that will lead you to discover new sites and opportunities to rejoice.

 

  The book takes you to every continent except Antarctica… I don’t know if I will ever make these trips, but the marvel of any ride—even if it’s close to home—creates more space to dream and to relish the magic of every moment through a deeper perception.

  Who doesn’t love the excitement of reaching a special peaceful spot? When the city gets too noisy and crowded, a bike can help us find a place that leaves us in awe, a sanctuary where the mind rests and restores itself, where we feel a deeper communion with Mother Nature.

 

 Have fun reading more posts/blogs related to bicycling:

https://travellingtwo.com/

https://www.bicycling.com/culture/a35866989/historic-women-in-cycling/

Bicycling with Butterflies, a review of Sara Dykman's book

A message from Jane Goodall

The Woods Scientist

"We send thanks to all the Animal life in the world. They have many things to teach us people. We are glad that they are still here and we hope it will always be so." ~ Excerpt from the Thanksgiving Address, Mohawk version

(I found the above quote  printed on my passport).

  "The Woods Scientist" is about reading forests. 
  How can we read forests?
 Sue Morse has had a fascination for forests all her life. She grew up in Pennsylvania to a family who did not watch much TV. Her parents filled their lives with a love of animals and the outdoors.

 Every day after school, Sue ran more than four and a half miles to reach the Wissahickon woods. Her passion to get to the woods turned her into a strong distance runner. In 1967, as a senior in high school, she became the first woman in the United States to run a twenty-six mile marathon.

 Sue also has a passion for books, and reading Rachel Carson’s “Silent Spring” when she was a teenager inspired her.

  I learned some interesting facts about wildlife from The Woods Scientist.

 Sue has a didactic way of explaining what biodiversity means. She does so creatively, by using the example of a puzzle. Biodiversity is like a puzzle in motion. This “puzzle” is made of trees, shrubs, insects, flowers, mushrooms, amphibians, birds, fish, reptiles, and mammals. This dynamic puzzle is made of thousands of species, and they all depend on each other.

  Now imagine removing a piece of that puzzle. What happens?

When species are killed off, the puzzle falls apart. Every living thing counts in this delicate puzzle of nature.

Harvard biologist E.O Wilson states that we are losing species at a rate not seen since the dinosaurs disappeared 65 million years ago. Wilson estimates that this current rate of extinction is 10,000 times faster than what is “normal” or natural.

  Animals that are more vulnerable to habitat fragmentation are called “indicator species”. Grizzly bears, river otters, wolverines, Canada Lynxes and bobcats are a few examples.

 The decline or absence of such creatures serves as a warning.

  The Woods Scientist helped me to understand the importance of corridors. Even the biggest parks in the country such as two-million-acre Yellowstone National Park and Adirondack Park need to be connected to other big tracts of land to allow animals to move back and forth. They are necessary for them to survive. 

 Four-lane highways and other developments lead to the fragmentation of their habitats, which prevents them from finding food and cover. By keeping tracks of wild animals Sue intends to create alternatives that can help to protect the fragile wildlife.

 As human population grows more housing developments, highways, roads, and corporate offices threaten the existence of these complex ecosystems.

Sue encourages us to protect the wildlife habitats in our communities. Feel free to check her website.

  Here in Wisconsin we deal with many challenges. The Governor of Wisconsin, Scott Walker, changed regulations to allow the pollution of lakes, streams and wetlands.  This may have something to do with the false belief that protecting the environment is at odds with the economic progress of a region. How do we define progress? Perhaps we need to redefine it in order to understand that dollars cannot be drunk or eaten, and that human health is not dissociated from Nature, although some people seem to believe that dollars can be breathed in (excuse my sense of humor here.)

 To learn more about this situation you can read this article.

 Nature is not our enemy. Educating our communities and raising awareness are part of the solution, but changing regulations to pollute the environment is not a sign of intelligence.

   The more we discover and learn about Nature, the more we can understand how ignorant we are. Educating ourselves is the way to love Nature and to develop creative solutions to live in harmony with the environment. 
     We can also learn about the destruction around us through our senses... but would would Mother Nature say if she could speak?

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