Course:ENGL100-014/Poetry

Poetry

Don’t Bother the Earth Spirit

Joy Harjo

“See that stone finger over there? That is the only one who ever escaped.” (Harjo, Don’t Bother the Earth Spirit)

Harjo’s final two lines of her poem “Don’t Bother the Earth Spirit” are short but striking and mysterious. First, the imagery of a “stone finger” is suggesting something both natural and symbolic. By using an object like stone, the mineral, I think Harjo is offering up a physical representation. The finger is some sort of moment, a symbol or warning for us as readers. Stone often is associated with history or memory and the “stone finger” may serve as a remnant of whatever has come and escaped before and its ability to endure the tests of time.

Next, The use of the word “escaped” implies that something has broken free from control or confinement. As a result, the reader is left wondering Who, or what has escaped? And what have they escaped from? The short nature of the poem forces the reader to fill in the blanks and imagine different possibilities.

The contradiction of the words “stone” and “escape” make me question how something lifeless, such as stone, can represent freedom. I was drawn to this quote because of all the ambiguity, Harjo offers just enough information to draw us in, but not enough to offer clear answers, leaving us wondering, and questioning many different aspects of this piece. It felt as if Harjo was warning me, but the lack of clarity made it even more unsettling. As a reader I am forced to sit with the uncertainty, and contemplate what Harjo is trying to say. I think that is the beauty of this poem, each reader can read the piece and have their own interpretation and understanding of the message in this work.

Don't Bother the Earth Spirit - Joy Harjo

"Don’t bother the earth spirit who lives here. She is working on a story. It is the oldest story in the world and it is delicate, changing."

I chose this quote for its ambiguity. The lack of explanation regarding the earth spirit, scope of time, and background creates room for interpretation and invites readers to form their understandings based on their cultural and social perspectives.

Joy Harjo personifies the Earth itself as a storyteller and embodies the idea that the Earth is not simply a setting that holds human life but an active and living participant. Harjo is part of Muscogee Creek Nation. The Muscogee Creek Tribe believed in the possibility of exchanging messages with spiritual beings and the existence of supernatural phenomena. Given this unique background, I interpret nature in this poem as conscious, sharing a relationship with humanity—addressed as “you” in the poem—instead of being a passive backdrop. Therefore, by simply examining the poem's title and opening line, it becomes clear that it expresses profound respect for nature. It suggests that we recognize the Earth as alive and that we must deal with it carefully. Recognizing "she" as conscious, the phrase “don’t bother” serves as a warning against disturbing her surroundings. Moreover, the poem opens with “Don’t bother” and ends with “stone finger” as the only one who escaped serves as a warning. It implies that disturbing nature is a way to escape from the earth's spirit, leaving one with a stone finger, consequently, warning “you” not to trouble or harm nature. Thus, it encourages readers to adopt an attitude of willingness to listen, endure, and be transformed to understand the world and nature.

How we made a new art on old ground - Boland

"And as I write valley straw, metal

blood, oaths, armour are unwritten."

I like this quote because of how clearly it pictures nature's ability to bring peace to people and how easily it takes its place in contrast to us. This whole work juxtaposes a battle's occurrence and its proof in a place with nature that has taken over that space and created a new feeling to that environment. However, what makes this quote interesting is its emphasis on perception. Nature and its beautiful scenes aren't hiding our bloodshed and darkness; rather, they completely unwrite them from our poetry and our minds; for example, the phrase "as I write" followed by things automatically being unwritten instead of manually erased by the author. It implies nature immediately belongs and takes its place and removes what is outside it from the spotlight but people have to conquer and claim places to belong to them. However, what is equally interesting to me as this idea is how similar it is in both purpose and meaning to the nature shown in "The Last of Us" and almost every modern post-apocalyptic work but completely opposes it in feeling. In "The Last of Us," nature is also used often to portray decay and change, but it creates a mournful atmosphere to modern human spaces; our roads, buildings, and homes rusting away, covered in moss and vines that aren't cleaned and trimmed to fit into the space, highlighting the absence of people. Yet, in this quote, it almost brings relief and peace as it unwrites traces of a battle. This is important for showing how nature's presence can create completely different feelings in literature and is a powerful but subtle tool. Yet in both of these works, it is made clear how nature belongs in this world differently than we do; in the quote, it automatically replaces our imprints in a way that seems like it is uncontrollable, and in "The Last of Us," nature also seems to automatically take over our places regardless of what they were meant to be used for and without anyone needing to plant the seeds or water it. It both provides a comforting quiet from the noise we create and yet relentlessly has to be spoken over for us to hear ourselves.

Don't Bother the Earth Spirit - Joy Harjo

"See that stone finger over there? That is the only one who ever escaped."

I chose this quote because it sparked some feeling in me. Part of me simply felt curious to find out why a stone finger was left behind. Another part of me felt angry that there is no further explanation to this bizarre thing that was just stated. Why did the finger turn into stone? Was it always just stone but shaped like a finger? How come the supposed person who escaped only had their finger turned into stone? Why wasn't the whole person turned into stone? Why is there no further explanation as to how or why the person's finger turned into stone? Why would the person want to escape? How many have tried and filed to escape? It's enraging that none of my questions will be answered. However, I like how the poem initiated some feelings for me. It stands out even more for me than the other bizarre things said in the poem. A reach for the meaning of the poem may be that when we go through something major, it might affect us so much that we leave a small part of us behind in that moment, and that part of us is now missing to remind us of the past.

by William Shakespeare

When I read this poem, I envision Shakespeare grappling with the inevitable passage of time. The imagery of "yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang" reflects his contemplation of aging—external signs that he's entering the autumn of his life. It's as if he's uncertain about the vitality he once possessed, questioning whether his inner drive persists, diminishes, or teeters on the verge of expiration.

The lines:

"In me thou see'st the glowing of such fire

That on the ashes of his youth doth lie,"

paint a somewhat dim picture of a fire, a lingering passion or vitality—a warmth that endures despite the relentless progression of time. The imagery of the fire lying upon ashes suggests that time has consumed the initial blaze of his life, reducing it to remnants. These ashes aren't merely symbols of what time has taken away; they form the very foundation sustaining the current glow. It's as if the experiences and memories accumulated over time continue to fuel his spirit, even as time moves forward.

This reflection on time emphasizes the transient yet enduring aspects of life. At the poem's conclusion, he reflects on the inevitability of separation and the transient nature of life. Understanding that time is fleeting adds urgency to love deeply and authentically. It's not merely about the reduction of his drive but about appreciating the profound beauty of the present moment. He's moved from the reckless striving of youth to a mature appreciation of love and life's fleeting moments.

Sonnet 73: That time of year thou mayst in me behold

By William Shakespeare

“This thou perceiv'st, which makes thy love more strong,

To love that well which thou must leave ere long.” (Shakespeare 13-14)

This poem initially presents itself with a somber/ melancholy tone, however, with the final two lines of the poem there is positive shift and a new sense of hopefulness being portrayed. The imagery and diction associated with the idea of aging and mortality through the use of late autumn, twilight, and fading fire initially evoke a sense of desolation and fear for both the speaker and the reader. The poem portrays death itself as a moment of silence and finality focusing on the physical process of aging and death with no mention of the afterlife or moments of nostalgia typically seen in poems about morality. As a result, the impact of the last two lines become much more significant due to the dramatic tone shift. The speaker’s acceptance of the inevitability of death doesn’t lead to sadness and despair instead it strengthens the emotion of love. Love becomes more powerful and impactful when it is tied to the finite and limited human existence. Where the poem focuses on the fleeting nature of life, the passage “leave ere long” (14) stands out due to its softened and vague interpretation of the finality of death. The diction choice of “long” instead of a more direct or blunt phrase still speaks on the inevitability of death but transforms it from a harsh impending reality to a vaguer and less definite timeline. The last two lines shift the poem to a more reflective and hopeful tone prompting readers to cherish life and love.

Don’t Bother the Earth Spirit by Joy Harjo

The quote I chose was “You will have to endure earthquakes, lightning, the deaths of all those you love, the most blinding beauty. It’s a story so compelling you may never want to leave; this is how she traps you.” I think this poem is a metaphor for life and death, and this quote in particular emphasizes the highs and lows of life itself. The “story,” meaning life, is so compelling that people are afraid to die and do not want to “leave” life. The earth spirit traps you with the beauty of life that makes you never want to leave. She talks about enduring negative things such as earthquakes, lightning, and death, but also mentions “blinding beauty,” which shows that no matter how tough life can be, it can also be beautiful as well. It makes me think about the beauty of life and how I should not fear death, but rather embrace it as a part of life. I should cherish every day of my life and be grateful that I am alive and experiencing life as me. Life has not truly been lived without death. It reminded me of the quote “Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened,” because we shouldn’t be sad when death inevitably happens, but be happy with the life we got to live.

Nature knows how to be satiated. Humans do not.

The poem opens with a scenic description of natural imagery. However, as the writing progresses, the language becomes much more direct, shifting the narration to the second person. I believe that this action is taken to entice the reader into the poet’s writing even more, as it feels like the poet is speaking directly towards the reader. Most primarily, I believe it is these two lines that strike the reader the most, defining the difference between the two differing topics of “human” and “nature”.

“Whatever it knows,

That is enough.” (Zwicky 14-15)

The Earth’s way of thinking is that its own knowledge it is enough. While the Earth is satisfied with its own pace, humans are always longing and striving for more, stating that humans “know too much” (11), yet will “never know enough” (24-25). This theme is prevalent through the poem with various examples of serene natural imagery contrasted by gut-jerking, more grotesque imagery associated with human nature. Furthermore, this is why the poet speaks so directly to the reader: it applies to the reader, who is also as of the moment, searching for more within a poem consisting primarily of natural imagery. Even through a poem, the human is searching in between the lines, striving to take as much as they can out of something that is simply art, or could be analogous to nature. The action of the reader towards the poem reflects the poet’s critique on humanity versus nature, and poses an interesting outlook between the contrast of these two.

The Garden

By: Andrew Marvell

“Ripe apples drop about my head;

The luscious clusters of the vine

Upon my mouth do crush their wine;

The nectarine and curious peach

Into my hands themselves do reach;

Stumbling on melons as I pass,

Ensnar’d with flow’rs, I fall on grass.” (Marvell 34-40)

Comfortably nested in a cloud of haze, under the embracing shade of a canopy, lies a man. Here, he indulges in the vines that bear the fruits of excess, he squeezes the fruit until its core reduces to sap, over and over again, licking his sickly sweet mouth for more. He lets the excess drip down his cheeks, his throat, and all the way down to his wrists. He stumbles around with no aim in mind except to take. The man takes and takes, and takes what pleases him and gives his empty admiration to the lush flora in return.

The relationship between humans and nature is often more or less viewed with a give and take association. However, the relationship between the speaker and the nature he is surrounded by shows a toxic connection. One where the speaker’s gluttony and overt self-indulgence due to being mesmerized by the garden impacts his ability to give back in a meaningful manner. The quote uses extremely indulgent imagery through its word choice. The speaker talks about the garden in a self-absorbed manner, using first person pronouns in relation to it where it seems like the garden is in service of him. His indulgent behavior through this imagery provokes readers and further compels them to question the relationship between humans and the natural world.

"My soul into the boughs does glide; / There like a bird it sits and sings, / Then whets, and combs its silver wings; / And, till prepar’d for longer flight, / Waves in its plumes the various light." (Marvell 52-56)

These lines stood out to me from Andrew Marvell’s The Garden because of the striking imagery and the comparison of the soul to a bird. My interpretation of these lines was that they were used by Marvell to illustrate the soul being freed from the body and rising into nature. “Boughs” are the stretching branches of a tree, so he describes his soul gliding into the branches and sitting and singing like a bird. By performing these two actions, it shows how the bird, or the soul, has found peace in nature. It has the time to stop and sit and sing. Birds can often symbolize freedom as their wings provide them with the means to escape the ground or the earth and fly freely. Lines 54-55 describe the bird preparing its wings for flight, which could represent Marvell preparing to immerse himself in nature. The description of a “longer flight” could represent an extended period of freedom that may last however long one has been absorbed in nature. Marvell goes further with the final line where the plumes, or feathers of the bird’s wings, are waving in the “various light.” Light can often symbolize divinity or the presence of a higher being, which may show that the silver wings of the bird are not only preparing for flight but also interacting with the light that illuminates the soul’s path toward enlightenment (which may come from nature). Through these lines, Marvell uses vivid imagery to convey the soul’s journey toward freedom and spiritual awakening, both involving indulging in nature and leaving human life and society behind.

In the larger context of the poem, these lines connect by emphasizing solitude and the peace found in nature. Throughout the poem, Marvell shows how peace and happiness can not be derived from humans or humanity, but can only be found within nature, alone. These lines reflect the themes of the poem as the soul, an inherently human thing, is transforming into something that is not human: a bird. There is no indication in these lines that the bird is surrounded by other birds, it is simply alone and enjoying the freedom it is granted from its wings. The symbol of the bird pushes further the idea of retreating into nature, the only place where the soul can find rest and peace, instead of the constant labour of society.

"You are tired, / like the dry earth. / But unlike it / you know too much. / For still, that is / earth’s definition: / whatever it knows, / that is enough". (Zwicky 8-15)

This stanza stood out to me because it draws a distinction between how knowledge and time is processed by the human mind as opposed to the Earth. Line 8 starts by personifying the Earth, describing it as being tired like the subject of the poem or perhaps the reader. The choice to describe the Earth as dry further illustrates the feeling of fatigue as when you think of a dry sun-beaten landscape you can visualize a hot summer's day where all life seems to be moving slower as it battles with the unrelenting heat. In line 9-10 the diasctintion between the two entities is drawn. "But unlike it / you know too much". These lines could describe the nature of humans to continuously seek more in life, whether it be more knowledge, wealth, or even the addiction to vices. The earth on the other hand does not actively pursue knowledge for it is a wealth of knowledge itself. These lines may also symbolize a critique of the the excess knowledge that humans possess, perhaps holding this excess knowledge accountable for our displeasure with trivial things. In a sense I believe it calls the reader to take an introspective look inside their own worldview and rid themselves of unnecessary weights.

"For still, that is / earth's definition: / whatever it knows, / that is enough". These four lines are my favourite from the poem because they highlight the simplicity and peacefulness of life from outside the human perspective. As is consistent in many nature poems the theme that nature is superior to humankind is present. While not as explicitly stated, these lines outline a divine way of living that humans may not ordinarily be able to experience because of manmade complexities. Line 15, "That is enough." expresses a satisfaction with all outcomes and symbolizes gratitude for what has come before. The Earth knows so much, for it has experienced it all. In the full context of the poem the Earth can be represented as both living and inanimate. It could simply be the setting for all life but could also encapsulate all life itself as an omnipresent spectator.

Zwicky IV Beethoven Op 95

“And because you are human, darkness / has come from your hand, / your mouth, / and it thickens around your heart”

The blunt, striking honesty of these lines caught my attention, as the author describes mankind so brutally, as though it is something to be ashamed of. The poem in its entirety includes recurring mentions of nature, something typically seen as beautiful, as light. The author, however, presents “dark” sides of nature - autumn; the season of dying and early dusk, dust in the air and the dry ground below. By painting nature and humankind both as “dark”, the author juxtaposes the common idea that nature on its own is perfect, and human touch is what ruins it. In reality, nature has imperfections on its own, even those that are comparable to human flaws.

In spite of this unique comparison of manmade and natural darkness, the author closes the poem with the language “luminous”, “alive”, and “light” in reference to the sky, the trees, and even the “fat black heart” of humans. In doing this, the author shows that in all of their imperfections, humans and nature have light within them, and by shifting their perspective, the reader too can catch a glimpse of it.

How We Made a New Art on Old Ground by Eavan Boland

"Now the humid dusk, the old wounds - wait for language, for a different truth: When you seek the silk of the willow - and the wider edge of the river turn..."

I really like how Boland flips the idea of "nature poem". It's not just about describing a peaceful landscape–it's about what lingers underneath. The mention of "Old wounds waiting for language" hits hard because it suggests history doesn't just disappear, it waits for someone to make sense of it. It makes me think about how much of what we see as "nature" is actually shaped by past events we don't even think about.

Percy Bysshe Shelley

"My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings;

Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!"

Percy Bysshe Shelley's "Ozymandias" is a piece about the impermanent nature of human power. "Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!" etched in a state of decay, reads ironically in contrast to its purpose, and in its place, it tells not of lasting glory of Ozymandias but of futility of its ambition. Not only has times eroded its empire, but even its very symbols of its rule have been eroding away, and nothing but a desolate wasteland stretches out with "the lone and level sands stretch far away" spreading out in all directions long and far.

The poem is a message regarding the human hubris. Ozymandias saw himself as an eternal king, but nothing but rubble is all that remains of him. Shelley's use of strong imagery "Half sunk a shattered visage lies" points out that even the greatest leaders in history become effaced through it. The king's arrogance, frozen in stone, cannot stand a chance against nature, not humanity, in the long run.

Even in the modern day, Ozymandias remains relevant. In politics, in entrepreneurship, in individual achievement, it informs us that power is transitory, and legacies fragile. No matter one's seeming grandeur, time reduces all achievement to rubble. Actual grandeur isn't about mastery, but about one's contribution to others along the line of succession.

"My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings;

Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!

Nothing beside remains. Round the decay

Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare

The lone and level sands stretch far away"

One way to think about this part of the sonnet is as a display of humanity's hubris and the fragility of human civilisation. It serves as a warning about unchecked power over nature and the environment and how retribution (even coincidentally) is impossible to avoid. The inscription on the pedestal reads "Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!" This line employs irony since nothing remains of the monument to Ozymandias. This use of irony serves as a criticism of humanity's futile attempts to outlast time itself. Nature (in this instance, the "sands") has reduced the figure of Ozymandias to the books of history, with the information about him coming to us only through "a traveller from an antique land," without whom we would be oblivious to him.  Going deeper, while the desert that this poem asks us to imagine are technically natural and exist as an ecosystem and environment, the images of "colossal Wreck, boundless and bare" and "level sands [stretching] far away" evoke an environment and space that is somewhat non-biological. Images of sand and desert can almost be understood as "part of the earth" in the same way rocks and mountains are. With this in mind, we can understand the decay of Ozymandias' monument as a tragedy in which both human civilisation and the natural environment are destroyed, leaving just a barren wasteland.

Jan Zwicky, IV Beethoven: Op. 95

"For this is the world: even you, with your hands, / and your language, and your fat black heart. / And the light, / the light shines on it."

The incorporation of light and darkness alongside the references to human anatomy in these lines strike my interest. In particular, I find it interesting how the author chooses to end the poem with the concept of "light." My interpretation of this is that despite the black heart that humans possess, there will always be a ray of light that shines on it to guide us away from misfortune and misery. Additionally, I believe the black heart represents our actions and the consequences that come along with them. While the ray of light represents a sign of hope, the ability to overcome hardships, or a guide for our lives.

Moreover, when the author mentions how "this is the world", it symbolizes how our world, environment, and nature is in our hands. The actions we decide to take, or the actions we decide not to take affect everything and everyone. Therefore, those with black hearts; people who fail to take responsibility for their actions or those who cannot be guided by the light, will succumb to the darkness that the author portrays throughout the poem.

The poem compares and contrasts darkness and light in a unique way that illustrates how humankind and nature are two sides of the same coin. Where our environment can negatively or positively impact us, similarly to how we can impact nature in either a positive or negative way.

"The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed; / And on the pedestal, these words appear: / My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings" (Shelley, 8-10)

I think this line makes the assertion that however powerful a ruler may be, reign can be fleeting. However, this poem describes Ozymandias less like a ruler and more like a god. Consider how many groups and civilizations have used religion to explain events, such as natural disasters or a productive farming season. A people's unwavering faith to a deity could be viewed as worshipping “the hand that mocked them”, that even despite the disasters and death inflicted upon them, they still believe it is part of this deity's broader plan. Their beliefs may be validated by periods of prosperity or good fortune, understood to be gifts of "the heart that fed". Ozymandias is called the "King of Kings" on the pedestal, again indicating he may not be human. "King of Kings" is how many would describe a god, the ultimate force dictating not just the comings and goings of a civilization, but of the world. At the time this statue was created, the image and belief in Ozymandias likely had significant influence on people. But in the end his image and ultimately his power have been left in ruins.

"Don't bother the earth spirit" by Joy Harjo

"Don't bother the earth spirit who lives here;/ She is working on a story;/ It is the oldest story in the world and it is delicate, changing;/

I think these lines in "Don't Bother the Earth Spirit" by Joy Harjo are compelling because they personify the Earth as a person. Referring to the Earth as a "spirit" makes it feel more like a character with its own thoughts and actions. The line "she is working on a story," suggests that the Earth has the ability to create something —almost as if the Earth itself is narrating its own existence. The line "the oldest story in the world" hints at a historical event. It seems as though it is suggesting this story occurred before humans came into existence. The words "delicate, changing" are also intriguing. If this story is “the oldest”, as readers we expect it to be something fixed or permanent, yet Harjo describes it as both fragile and in flux. This raises a question: how can a story that has lasted since the beginning still be delicate and evolving? It challenges the assumption that ancient things are set in stone and not subject to change. As a reader, I interpret this poem as a reflection on human impact. Harjo seems to be warning us about our actions. Our interference with the Earth is altering something delicate and ancient: something that came before us.

Jan Zwicky, IV Beethoven: Op. 95

“Because it is late in this century, darkness will be in the air you breathe. And because you are human, darkness has come from your hand,”

I chose this quote because it demonstrates the dynamics between the forces of nature versus the human species. Nature is depicted as “light” and appears to be cleaning up the darkness and messes that humans have created through generations. This quote explores the idea of how nature is continuous and a constant in our world, while humans are always creating some type of change.

I found it interesting how the poem goes on to explain how light “shines on” the world, despite all of its darkness and the conflict that humans seem to have brought to the earth. This further explains the importance of the coexistence of chaos and order in our world, representing how in order to maintain harmony between nature and humans, there is some type of natural or spiritual force that brings the two together. This relationship between nature and people is what is being picked apart in the poem, showing how the destructive nature of humans is maintained and kept in control by forces of nature.

Don't Bother the Earth Spirit - Joy Harjo

"See that stone finger over there? That is the only one who ever escaped."

This quote really grabbed my attention when I was first reading it. The way the stone finger is personified and then referred to as "one" paints a confusing picture of what the stone finger is/what it represents. "Escape" raises so many questions: Is it death? Rejecting the earth spirit? Or refusing to be blinded by the beauty that "traps you"? Referring to an inanimate object as "one" also confused me. Is the stone finger part of a larger statue/human, or is it more simple than that? Also, "See that stone finger over there?" is interesting to me. The narrator speaks directly to the reader throughout the poem, but this line is unique in which the narrator asks the reader if they see something. In my opinion, this breaks the fourth wall because the narrator can see what you're seeing. Overall it makes the poem feel more like a conversation than a warning, but creates more questions about who the narrator is in relation to the reader.

“For this is the world: even you, with your hands, and your language, and your fat black heart” - Jan Zwicky, “Beethoven: Op. 95”

The poem “Beethoven: Op. 95” by Jan Zwicky opens full of imagery describing a “walk in autumn fields,” which paints a calm and dry autumn scene. This immediately puts the focus on fall, nature, earth, and the Earth as a whole. After this first stanza, the poem slowly turns until it mentions humans and darkness, before once more returning to descriptions of the farmland scene. As the poem reaches my chosen quote, right before the last line, it seems to be in a bit of an unrest, as it has almost been oscillating back and forth between descriptions of human greed and of dry earth. In the chosen line, though the narrator is mentioning basic human characteristics like hands and language, it seems like they are talking about an alien; it seems as if the idea of hands and language is unusual and strange to them, like they have never seen them before. The addition of the words “fat” and “black” in reference to a heart adds to the perceived idea that the narrator is disgusted and disturbed by humanity, and raises the idea that the narrator is the earth itself and has seen humanity’s “fat black heart” firsthand. Going along with this idea, another reason why this line is important is because, even after all the talk of human greed and darkness, and though done begrudgingly, the narrator still includes a human and therefore all of humanity when defining the world. They do this in a way that makes it seem like they had no choice in the matter, and that it is just the way things are: as long as humanity is around, we will inevitably be a big part of the world, whether the earth wants us to be or not.

Don't Bother the Earth Spirit - Joy Harjo

"If she sees you watching she will invite you in for coffee, give you warm bread, and you will be obligated to stay and listen."

This line in the poem is extremely interesting as it contrasts the warm hospitality of the earth spirit with the eerie obligation that you must “stay and listen”. It makes you question whether the earth spirit’s inviting nature is something to be wary of, or if they are something or someone that you may want to encounter. Not only because of their hospitality, but because of the compelling story that will be told. But this line still outlines the extent to which we should avoid this spirit if we want to stay away from being captivated by the story and also held against our will. Even being caught watching is enough to seal your fate. This line may encourage one to investigate the earth spirit as coffee and warm bread doesn’t allude to any serious danger. It feels the author is signaling to us that even if we may be obligated to stay, would staying really be that bad?