Charles E. Burchfield, Journals, December 26, 1927

Thoughts (in bed) Dec. 26—

Oh, the agony of longing for what is irrevocably past – I unpacked some of the pictures that were sent down this evening – before I went in the shop, I had paused to look at the skies – to the east, the December moon partially concealed by vague mists & wispy clouds that somehow expressed the torment of my mind; it had in it some of the exquisite pain of early spring – to the southwest, a star glowed with what I can only call dim brilliance – the thrill of the unpacking was the discovery of “Burnt Forest” that I had given up for lost – Made in March 1918 – my mind flew back to that time with dizzy sudden-ness – the thoughts of brilliant march days in the wastelands of Ohio filled me with sadness. Lying in bed, the thousand and one unavoidable duties that I have surrounded myself with crowded down upon me like huge boxes or rocks – it seemed as if I would be suffocated – it was unbearable – Outside, the moon was almost directly overhead –the thrill of winter moons that are high in the sky.