And in all those escapes he could not help being astonished by the beauty of this land that was not his. He his in its breast, fingered its earth for food, clung to its banks to lap water and tried not to love it. On nights when the sky was personal, weak with the weight of its own stars, he made himself not love it. Its graveyards and its low-lying rivers. Or just a house - solitary under a chinaberry tree; maybe a mule tethered and the light hitting its hide just so. Anything could stir him and he tried hard not to love it.
The character's experience in this foreign land is filled with a deep yet conflicted appreciation for its beauty. Despite being an outsider who strives to resist affection for the land, he finds himself captivated by its simplicity—its earth nourishes him, and its waters sustain him. As he faces the landscape—a blend of graveyards and tranquil rivers—his senses awaken to the serenity around him, yet he battles with his emotions, determined to suppress any attachment.
During nights adorned with a multitude of stars, he reflects on his aversion to falling in love with this place. The imagery of a solitary house under a chinaberry tree or a mule basking in the light evokes strong feelings within him. Each subtle detail of the land calls to him, stirring a longing he wishes to deny. Ultimately, this struggle illustrates the complexity of human connection to place and the emotional ties that can form even in the face of resistance.
