In "Winter's Tale," Hardesty reflects on the beauty of a freight train traveling across the nation during early summer. This imagery evokes a sense of freedom and the vastness of the landscape. The train symbolizes progress and movement, highlighting the joy of adventure and possibility that comes with the changing season.

However, intertwined with this beauty is a poignant realization about plants and their roots. Hardesty contemplates the idea that plants, while deeply connected to the earth, are also limited by their inability to wander. This duality illustrates the tension between freedom and attachment, suggesting that while roots provide stability and nourishment, they also confine growth and exploration.