To Return Again

By: Horace Kephart

Photo by George Masa

Yes 
to return again and again;
to leave the exhausted air of the cities, 
the imprisoning walls, the din and strife, 
the jostling of unsympathetic crowds; 
to escape from this artificial limbo 
that has sullied the very sky til 
we scarce ever lift our eyes to it; 
to seek once more the pure breeze 
of the open fields, the far outlook 
upon a calm world fresh with 
eternal youth; to bore deep into 
some primeval wood; to see the 
world inverted in a glassy lake; 
to hear the carol of birds and the 
sigh of the summer breeze, to watch 
the brightening come in the east 
and the day break in splendor over 
an awakening world; to see the 
shadows fall in the valley and 
the last gleams of the afterglow 
glisten on hilltops; to face the 
starlit sky at night, and 
dreaming awake, 
to sink peacefully into 
dreamless sleep—
that is Nature’s specific 
for the city blight. 

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Horace Kephart (September 8, 1862 – April 2, 1931) was an American author, librarian, and outdoorsman who is best known for his work in the field of outdoor survival and for his contributions to the establishment of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

In 1904, Kephart left his career and family and moved to the Smoky Mountains in western North Carolina. He immersed himself in the rugged mountain life, living among the local people, and documenting their customs, folklore, and way of life.

Kephart wrote extensively about his experiences, producing a series of articles for outdoor magazines and eventually publishing several influential books.

Kephart is remembered as one of the key figures in the early conservation movement in the United States. His writings continue to inspire outdoor enthusiasts, and his work played a significant role in the preservation of one of America's most beautiful national parks.