Landscape through which runs a river
both sides lined with trees
slightly therefore flowing green,
the bells strung between
follow in slight distance
reflected on the panes of an orangery.
Landscape of evening
shadowing the park
Landscape of ventriloquist
in nearby pavilion,
the land itself a voice
of silence coming through a white sheet thrown over a chair—
Landscape of a sheet of sun made of bees.
Varda often focused on people often unheard—vagabonds, gleaners, cleaners, shopkeepers, villagers, with landscape framing—even enabling—character. Her last full-length film, Visages Villages, with the face of the entire French countryside moving smoothly behind, the one thing that binds all these otherwise disparate faces and places.
Landscape opening
just like the faces
going pale in the pouring light
of ripe wheat
blanchisserie of all is summer
looking back in defiance
at the camera.
Landscape as history
looking back too quickly,
as history
working at right angles to memory
Landscape of history
as the shade of an oak over a stream
oddly resembling
a folded paper boat.
