Charles E. Burchfield, Journals, August 26, 1916

August 26, 1916—

This evening at dusk as a storm from the Southwest swept out of the orange sky; as the huge misshapen trees, thinned by the wind waved against the afterglow, as the winds course was marked in waving corn & levelled sunflowers as I saw lighted windows in the puny houses — as I saw the fearful immensity of the storm, I felt how small how futile my attempts so far have been — a great discouragement came over me —

I dream visions of immense storms in mountain valleys on seas which war with mountainous shores; of immense boiling rivers curling down mountainsides; of sudden flashes of sunlight at the heights of such storms and wonder if it will even be my job to paint such scenes — I must — I will —

At midnight a strange phenomenon — streaks of pale light radiating from zenith most of them extending over the north half of the sky — Great nervous waves of light flutter upwards from the north —

Charles E. Burchfield, August 26, 1916