A collection of fiction, nonfiction, and prose poetry that explores imagination through different shapes in form, content, and genre. Includes award winning nonfiction, “The Storekeeper,” and award winning fiction, “The Fantôme of Fatma.”

Thesis (M.Sc.(Agricultural Management )) -- University of Limpopo, 2020 / Avocado fruit ‘Hass’ harvested during early-season and exposed to temperature at 5.5°C for 28 d are susceptible to chilling injury (CI); and therefore, develop poor skin colour during ripening. In ‘Hass’ avocado fruit, skin colour change during ripening is used by European market to indicate fruit ripeness and softness. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the use of hot water (HW) and methyl jasmonate (MJ) as postharvest treatment dips to mitigate CI; and thereby, enhance ‘Hass’ avocado fruit peel colour during ripening. Fruit were harvested randomly from 5 selected trees treated alike during early season (April 2018); and thereafter, transported to the laboratory. At the laboratory, experiments of this study were divided into 2: experiment (1) fruit were dipped into HW (38, 42 and 46°C for 30, 25 and 20 min, respectively); and experiment (2) fruit were dipped into MJ (10 and 100 µmol/L for 2 min) treatments. In both experiments after these treatments, fruit were allowed to dry for 60 minutes at ambient (±25°C) temperature and untreated fruit were used as control. Thereafter, fruit were stored at commercial shipping temperature (5.5°C) for up to 28 d. After removal from cold storage, fruit were ripened at ambient temperature (±25°C) and evaluated every after 2 d for weight loss, firmness loss, objective colour parameters (lightness-L*, chroma-C* and hue angle-h*), subjective colour (eye colour) and ripening percentage. However, chilling injury (CI) and electrolyte leakage (EL) were evaluated immediately after removal from cold storage. The results showed that HW significantly (P< 0.05) increased weight and firmness loss during ripening. Furthermore, HW reduced EL and external chilling injury (ECI) of ‘Hass’ avocado fruit during cold storage. In addition, the results showed that HW had significant effect (P< 0.05) on colour parameter L* and eye colour rating, but did not affect (P> 0.05) C* and h*. Avocado ‘Hass’ fruit subjected to HW at 42°C/25 and 46°C/20 min developed purple colour (eye colour rating 4.47 and 4.36, respectively) during ripening when compared with HW at 38°C/30 min and control fruit. Moreover, results showed that dipping fruit in 10 µmol/L had a significant effect (P< 0.05) on reducing weight loss during ripening. Methyl jasmonate (10 and 100 µmol/L) treatment reduced EL and alleviated external chilling injury (ECI) of ‘Hass’ fruit during cold storage. The results showed that MJ (10 and 100 µmol/L) treatments had significant effect (P< 0.05) on colour parameter L*, h* and eye colour rating, but did not affect (P> 0.05) C*. Furthermore, ‘Hass’ fruit treated with 10 and 100 µmol/L MJ reached the purple skin colour (eye rating 5.39 and 5.19, respectively) during ripening. Fruit dipped in MJ (10 µmol/L) had low weight loss when compared with fruit treated with MJ (100 µmol/L). In conclusion, the results of this study indicated that HW (42°C/25 minutes) and MJ (10 µmol/L) effectively alleviated external chilling injury; and therefore, improved ‘Hass’ skin colour development during ripening / Agricultural Research Council-Institute (Agriseta) and University of Limpopo

Thesis (Ph.D. (Plant Production)) -- University of Limpopo, 2022 / In 'Hass' avocado fruit, pre-harvest and postharvest factors affecting exocarp colour change during ripening are vital to maintain the industry’s credibility, competitiveness and profitability. Currently, the South African ‘Hass’ avocado fruit exocarp colour development is affected by pre- and postharvest factors, ultimately, fruit does not develop the required purple colour during ripening. These pre- and postharvest factors must be understood in order to implement strategies that avoid downgrading of South African 'Hass' avocado fruit by lucrative markets due to insufficient purple colour development during ripening. In 'Hass' avocado fruit, exocarp colour development is associated with an increase in anthocyanin synthesis and accumulation during ripening. However, limited information is available regarding factors regulating anthocyanin synthesis and accumulation in 'Hass' avocado fruit during ripening. Therefore, the overall aims of this study were to investigate pre-harvest practices and postharvest treatment that increase exocarp anthocyanin synthesis during ripening. In addition, determine whether exocarp glucose and other antioxidants contribute to 'Hass' avocado fruit exocarp colour development during ripening. In chapter 3, the study looked at how crop load adjustment affects ‘Hass’ avocado fruit exocarp colour development during ripening at three different harvest maturities. The crop load adjustment treatments were applied as: high (100%), moderate (50%) and low (25%) at three harvest times (early, mid- and late). After harvest, fruit were stored at 5.5°C for 28 days, thereafter, ripened at 25°C. The experimental design was carried out as 3 x 3 factorial, arranged in a completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications. The results showed that total anthocyanin and cyanidin 3-O-glucoside concentrations of ‘Hass’ avocados increased following crop load adjustment from normal (100%) to moderate (50%) and low (25%) loads, resulting in improved exocarp colour development during ripening. Furthermore, we discovered that fruit harvested from moderate (50%) and low (25%) crop loads accumulated higher exocarp sugars (D-mannoheptulose and perseitol) at three harvest maturities when compared with high crop load (100%). Moreover, total phenolic concentration of fruit harvested from moderate (50%) and low (25%) crop loads was higher than that obtained from high load fruits, irrespective of harvest maturities. In chapter 4, the study examined the interaction between branch girdling and harvest maturation on the development of 'Hass' avocado fruit exocarp colour during ripening. The experimental design was carried out as 2 x 2 factorial, arranged in a completely randomized design (CRD). The results showed that fruit harvested from girdled trees had poor exocarp colour development as compared to fruit harvested from control trees, regardless of harvest time. Fruit harvested from girdled and ungirdled avocado trees did not show significant differences in visual exocarp colour during early and mid-maturity. Apart from crop load adjustment and girdling as pre-harvest methods to manipulate postharvest exocarp colour, glucose was also infused through the pedicel. Studies on the effect of glucose infusion through the pedicel on the exocarp colour of the ‘Hass’ avocado fruit during ripening were presented in chapter 5. The study included five treatments; control fruit with pedicel and infused with distilled water and glucose concentrations (0.05, 0.13 and 0.28 mM). The distilled water, glucose infused and control fruit were stored at 5.5°C for up to 28 days. After cold storage, fruit were kept at ambient temperature 25°C for ripening. The experiment was conducted as a completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications per treatment. The results showed that glucose infusion through the pedicel markedly increased anthocyanin and cyanidin 3-O-glucoside concentration during ripening. Interestingly, glucose concentrations (0.05 and 0.13 mM) resulted in purple colour development after 8 days at 25°C when compared with control, distilled water and highest concentration (0.28 mM). In chapter 6, the relationship between 'Hass' avocado fruit size, exocarp colour and related pigments with antioxidants capacity and sugar concentration during ripening were investigated. The fruit were categorized by their weight; small (< 200 g) and large (> 201 g). Their diameter and length were also measured using a vernier calliper. Fruit ware stored at 5.5°C for 28 days, then ripened at 25°C. The experimental design was carried out as a completely randomised design (CRD), using 25 fruit replications per category. The results showed that small-sized fruit developed the desirable purple to black exocarp colour when compared with large-sized fruit. Additionally, the results showed that small-sized fruit had higher antioxidant capacity as measured by 2,2 diphenyl 1 picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), ascorbic acid and flavonoid content during ripening when compared with large-sized fruit. Furthermore, it was found that small-sized fruit accumulated higher exocarp and seeds (D-mannoheptulose, perseitol, sucrose and glucose) sugar concentration. We demonstrated and concluded that exocarp colour, pigments, antioxidants and sugar concentration are closely related to size in 'Hass' avocado fruit. Knowledge from this thesis contributes toward the understanding of pre and postharvest factors that may influence colour development of ‘Hass’ avocado fruit during ripening. This study contributes towards bridging the gap in the literature on the biochemical changes associated with colour development of ‘Hass’ avocado fruit during ripening / Agricultural Research Council-Tropical and Subtropical Crops (ARC-TSC) and National Research Foundation (NRF)

Thesis (M.Sc. (Horticulture)) --University of Limpopo, 2018 / ‘Hass’ avocado fruit changes skin colour from green to purple and then black during ripening. However, markets importing South African avocado fruit have been complaining about the ‘Hass’ skin colour not changing to purple/black during ripening. Thus, the study aimed to investigate the effect of tree girdling, harvest time and ripening temperature on ‘Hass’ avocado fruit skin colour development during ripening. The mature ‘Hass’ avocado fruit were harvested from girdled and non-girdled trees during early (April), mid- (May) and late (June) harvest times. Upon arrival, in the laboratory fruit were cold stored at 5.5°C for 28 days. After storage, fruit were ripened at 25, 21 and 16°C for 8, 6 and 4 days, respectively. After withdrawal from clod storage fruit were evaluated for skin colour development, ripening and physiological disorders (chilling injury). Fruit from girdled trees showed high maturity (low moisture content) when compared with fruit from non-girdled trees during early and mid-harvest. With respect to skin colour development, the results indicate that skin eye colour development of fruit from girdled and non-girdled trees minimally increased from emerald green (1) to olive green (3) across all harvest times, ripening temperature and ripening duration. However, late season fruit from non-girdled trees improved to purple (4) when ripened at 21°C when compared with fruit from girdled trees. In terms of objective colour, lightness, hue angle and chroma decreased for fruit from girdled and non-girdled trees, across all harvest times, ripening temperature and ripening duration. Lightness and hue angle of fruit from girdled trees were slightly reduced when compared with fruit from non-girdled trees, throughout all harvest times, ripening temperature and duration. Early and mid-season fruit harvested from girdled trees showed rapid decrease of chroma when compared with fruit from non-girdled trees, throughout ripening temperature and x duration. In terms of softening, fruit from girdled trees showed higher firmness loss and ripening percentage within 6 (16°C) and 4 (21 and 25°C) days when compared with fruit from non-girdled trees during early and mid-harvest, whereas, late harvest fruit from girdled trees reached higher ripening percentage and firmness loss within 4 days throughout ripening temperatures. With respect to cold damage, late harvested fruit from girdled trees showed higher external chilling injury when compared with non-girdled trees, throughout ripening temperature. In general, girdling treatment improved fruit maturity, ripening rate and firmness loss. However, the incidence of variable skin colouring of ‘Hass’ avocado fruit during ripening was also prevalent in early harvested fruit from girdled tree, irrespective of ripening temperature. Keywords: girdling, harvest time, physiological disorder, ripening temperature, variable colouring

In this paper, we mainly discuss the transport properties of the two-dimensional gas of a high-mobility GaAs/AlGaAs semiconductor heterostructure in high magnetic fields and low temperatures. We analyzed the measured longitudinal resistivity and Hall resistivity at the five different temperatures. We observed that the classical Hall effect is valid when the magnetic field is less than 0.25 Tesla; and the quantum Hall plateaux appeared obviously when the magnetic field is larger than 1.6 Tesla. We proceeded to analyze the longitudinal resistivity oscillation occurred in the magnetic fields between 0.477 Tesla and 1.483 Tesla. According to the Lifshitz-Kosevich (LK) formula, we can get the two-dimensional electron concentration, effective mass, and quantum scattering time from the quantum magnetoresistivity oscillation measurement. Our results suggested that the applicable range of the LK formula could be broader than the generally-assumed one. In quantum Hall effect regime at high magnetic field, we can calculate the h/e2 value from the quantum Hall plateaux value. In classical Hall effect regime, the three-dimensional electron concentration and classical mobility (classical scattering time) can be obtained. However, we find out that the zero-field Hall resistivity experimental value is not equal to zero, and this is not conformed to the standard theory. We tried to use the magnetic field shift and Hall resistivity shift to solve the problem, and compared both advantages of them. Finally, we observed the plateau-plateau phase transitions of the two-dimensional electron system

Por décadas, a qualidade de produtos é determinada por testes em ambientes de laboratório, como testes de acelerados de vibração, ciclagem térmica, choque mecânicos ou térmicos, entre outros. Porém, mais recentemente um novo tipo de técnica tem adquirido a confiança de pesquisadores e projetistas. As técnicas conhecidas como HALT (Highly Accelerated Life Testing) e HASS (Highly Accelerated Stress Screening), ou seja, testes acelerados e amplificados que submetem produtos a condições severas, têm mostrado sua importância e eficiência no âmbito da detecção de falha em produtos ainda na fase de produção. Este trabalho tem por objetivo desenvolver e implementar um algoritmo de controle baseado em métodos heurísticos para ser usado em ensaios acelerados usando um Shaker eletrodinâmico. Este controlador deve ser robusto o suficiente para se adequar a possíveis efeitos de ressonância do shaker que podem vir a alterar a dinâmica do sistema, inviabilizando controles tradicionais com parâmetros fixos. Os resultados obtidos através de vários ensaios mostraram que ambos os sistemas de controle são eficientes, pois o erro entre o sinal desejado (tensão mecânica ou aceleração) e os medidos experimentalmente, tendem rapidamente a zero não apresentando sobressinais consideráveis ou erro em regime permanente, tanto para frequência fixa quanto para varredura de frequência. A comparação entre o controlador tradicional PID e o controle heurístico baseado em Lógica Fuzzy, que foram aplicados no shaker eletrodinâmico, comprova que, para mudanças na amplitude do sistema, o controle Fuzzy apresentou menor sobressinal, o que é mais favorável do ponto de vista mecânico. Logo, a metodologia proposta pode ser aplicada para ensaios HALT/HASS com o intuito de obter grandes vibrações e, por conseguinte tensões, para identificar possíveis falhas de projeto e então, poder corrigi-las. / For decades, product quality is determined by environmental tests, such as accelerated vibration tests, thermal cycling, mechanical or thermal shock, and others. However, more recently a new type of test has gained the trust of researchers and designers. Known techniques such as HALT (Highly Accelerated Life Testing) and HASS (Highly Accelerated Stress Screening), or accelerated and amplified testing that submit products to severe conditions have shown their importance in the efficiency and fault detection in products still in production phase. This study aims to develop and implement a control algorithm based on heuristic methods in order to be used in a system of accelerated tests in an electrodynamic shaker. This controller must be robust enough to fit the resonance effects of the shaker that it can change the system dynamic, invalidating traditional controls with fixed parameters. The results obtained through tests showed both control systems are efficient, because the error between desired signal (mechanical stress and acceleration) and the experimentally measured tend rapidly to zero, there aren’t overshoots or steady state errors, both for constant frequency and for sweep frequency. Comparing the PID traditional control and the Logic Fuzzy control, applied in electrodynamic shaker, we proved that to change system amplitude, the fuzzy control presented lower overshoot, that is favorable from the standpoint of mechanical. Therefore, the methodology proposed can be applied to HALT/HASS tests in order to obtain large vibrations and, consequently stress, to identify possible flaws in the design and correct them.

Por décadas, a qualidade de produtos é determinada por testes em ambientes de laboratório, como testes de acelerados de vibração, ciclagem térmica, choque mecânicos ou térmicos, entre outros. Porém, mais recentemente um novo tipo de técnica tem adquirido a confiança de pesquisadores e projetistas. As técnicas conhecidas como HALT (Highly Accelerated Life Testing) e HASS (Highly Accelerated Stress Screening), ou seja, testes acelerados e amplificados que submetem produtos a condições severas, têm mostrado sua importância e eficiência no âmbito da detecção de falha em produtos ainda na fase de produção. Este trabalho tem por objetivo desenvolver e implementar um algoritmo de controle baseado em métodos heurísticos para ser usado em ensaios acelerados usando um Shaker eletrodinâmico. Este controlador deve ser robusto o suficiente para se adequar a possíveis efeitos de ressonância do shaker que podem vir a alterar a dinâmica do sistema, inviabilizando controles tradicionais com parâmetros fixos. Os resultados obtidos através de vários ensaios mostraram que ambos os sistemas de controle são eficientes, pois o erro entre o sinal desejado (tensão mecânica ou aceleração) e os medidos experimentalmente, tendem rapidamente a zero não apresentando sobressinais consideráveis ou erro em regime permanente, tanto para frequência fixa quanto para varredura de frequência. A comparação entre o controlador tradicional PID e o controle heurístico baseado em Lógica Fuzzy, que foram aplicados no shaker eletrodinâmico, comprova que, para mudanças na amplitude do sistema, o controle Fuzzy apresentou menor sobressinal, o que é mais favorável do ponto de vista mecânico. Logo, a metodologia proposta pode ser aplicada para ensaios HALT/HASS com o intuito de obter grandes vibrações e, por conseguinte tensões, para identificar possíveis falhas de projeto e então, poder corrigi-las. / For decades, product quality is determined by environmental tests, such as accelerated vibration tests, thermal cycling, mechanical or thermal shock, and others. However, more recently a new type of test has gained the trust of researchers and designers. Known techniques such as HALT (Highly Accelerated Life Testing) and HASS (Highly Accelerated Stress Screening), or accelerated and amplified testing that submit products to severe conditions have shown their importance in the efficiency and fault detection in products still in production phase. This study aims to develop and implement a control algorithm based on heuristic methods in order to be used in a system of accelerated tests in an electrodynamic shaker. This controller must be robust enough to fit the resonance effects of the shaker that it can change the system dynamic, invalidating traditional controls with fixed parameters. The results obtained through tests showed both control systems are efficient, because the error between desired signal (mechanical stress and acceleration) and the experimentally measured tend rapidly to zero, there aren’t overshoots or steady state errors, both for constant frequency and for sweep frequency. Comparing the PID traditional control and the Logic Fuzzy control, applied in electrodynamic shaker, we proved that to change system amplitude, the fuzzy control presented lower overshoot, that is favorable from the standpoint of mechanical. Therefore, the methodology proposed can be applied to HALT/HASS tests in order to obtain large vibrations and, consequently stress, to identify possible flaws in the design and correct them.

Por décadas, a qualidade de produtos é determinada por testes em ambientes de laboratório, como testes de acelerados de vibração, ciclagem térmica, choque mecânicos ou térmicos, entre outros. Porém, mais recentemente um novo tipo de técnica tem adquirido a confiança de pesquisadores e projetistas. As técnicas conhecidas como HALT (Highly Accelerated Life Testing) e HASS (Highly Accelerated Stress Screening), ou seja, testes acelerados e amplificados que submetem produtos a condições severas, têm mostrado sua importância e eficiência no âmbito da detecção de falha em produtos ainda na fase de produção. Este trabalho tem por objetivo desenvolver e implementar um algoritmo de controle baseado em métodos heurísticos para ser usado em ensaios acelerados usando um Shaker eletrodinâmico. Este controlador deve ser robusto o suficiente para se adequar a possíveis efeitos de ressonância do shaker que podem vir a alterar a dinâmica do sistema, inviabilizando controles tradicionais com parâmetros fixos. Os resultados obtidos através de vários ensaios mostraram que ambos os sistemas de controle são eficientes, pois o erro entre o sinal desejado (tensão mecânica ou aceleração) e os medidos experimentalmente, tendem rapidamente a zero não apresentando sobressinais consideráveis ou erro em regime permanente, tanto para frequência fixa quanto para varredura de frequência. A comparação entre o controlador tradicional PID e o controle heurístico baseado em Lógica Fuzzy, que foram aplicados no shaker eletrodinâmico, comprova que, para mudanças na amplitude do sistema, o controle Fuzzy apresentou menor sobressinal, o que é mais favorável do ponto de vista mecânico. Logo, a metodologia proposta pode ser aplicada para ensaios HALT/HASS com o intuito de obter grandes vibrações e, por conseguinte tensões, para identificar possíveis falhas de projeto e então, poder corrigi-las. / For decades, product quality is determined by environmental tests, such as accelerated vibration tests, thermal cycling, mechanical or thermal shock, and others. However, more recently a new type of test has gained the trust of researchers and designers. Known techniques such as HALT (Highly Accelerated Life Testing) and HASS (Highly Accelerated Stress Screening), or accelerated and amplified testing that submit products to severe conditions have shown their importance in the efficiency and fault detection in products still in production phase. This study aims to develop and implement a control algorithm based on heuristic methods in order to be used in a system of accelerated tests in an electrodynamic shaker. This controller must be robust enough to fit the resonance effects of the shaker that it can change the system dynamic, invalidating traditional controls with fixed parameters. The results obtained through tests showed both control systems are efficient, because the error between desired signal (mechanical stress and acceleration) and the experimentally measured tend rapidly to zero, there aren’t overshoots or steady state errors, both for constant frequency and for sweep frequency. Comparing the PID traditional control and the Logic Fuzzy control, applied in electrodynamic shaker, we proved that to change system amplitude, the fuzzy control presented lower overshoot, that is favorable from the standpoint of mechanical. Therefore, the methodology proposed can be applied to HALT/HASS tests in order to obtain large vibrations and, consequently stress, to identify possible flaws in the design and correct them.

Thesis (M.Sc.( Agriculture (Horticulture)) -- University of Limpopo, 2022 / Avocado fruit ‘Hass’ exocarp changes colour from green to purple and black during ripening. However, uniform purple or black exocarp colour is not achieved during ripening, leading to consumers' rejection of fruit for not meeting quality standards. Avocado ‘Hass’ fruit harvested early remain green or develop a multicoloured appearance, concurrently devaluing their commercial value; and, therefore, unattractive to consumers. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the role of sucrose and calcium postharvest pulsing on early matured ‘Hass’ avocado exocarp colour change during ripening. In this study, early matured ‘Hass’ avocado fruit were harvested from Halls and Sons, Mataffin farm (25°25’39.13” S, 30°55’52.84” E), Nelspruit, South Africa with 10 cm pedicel at commercial dry matter content (22%). Thereafter, the fruit were transported to the University of Mpumalanga laboratory. In the laboratory, the study was divided into two experiments: Experiment 1 ‘Hass’ fruit were continuously infused through the pedicel with different sucrose concentrations; 0 (control), 0.2 and 0.5 mM L-1. Experiment 2 fruit were infused with different calcium chloride (CaCl2) concentrations; 0 (control), 2 and 3 mM L-1. In both experiments, treated and untreated fruit were stored at 5.5°C for 28 days. After removal from cold storage, fruit were ripened at room temperature (±25°C) and evaluated every other day for firmness, subjective colour (visual colour), objective colour parameters (lightness-L*, chroma-C* and hue angle- h°), external chilling injury and ripening percentage. The results showed that Su (0.2 mM L-1) pulsing extended the ripening period by one day, corresponding with maintained fruit firmness. Furthermore, Su (0.2 mM L-1) treated fruit reduced the ‘Hass’ avocado fruit chilling injury index (CII) during cold storage. With respect to colour change, Su (0.5 mM L-1) treated fruit developed purple colour when compared with Su (0.2 mM L-1), which only developed to olive colour on the final ripening day (day 6). In addition, the results showed that all sucrose concentrations had a significant decreasing effect (P < 0.05) on objective colour parameters (L*, C* and h°) and increasing visual colour rating. With respect to CaCl2 treatments, fruit firmness decline was significantly delayed, which resulted in extended ripening time. Moreover, CaCl2 (2 and 3 mM L-1) significantly decreased (P < 0.05) pericarp objective colour parameters (L*, C* and h°) and increased visual colour rating and developed purple colour on the final ripening day (days 6 and 8, respectively). In addition, pulsing with CaCl2 (2 and 3 mM L-1) concentration reduced chilling injury during storage compared with control fruit. In conclusion, the results of this study indicated that Su and CaCl2 applied as postharvest treatments may contribute to avocado colour development by increasing anthocyanin accumulation. However, future research is required to investigate whether these treatments affect anthocyanin biosynthesis at the gene level.

"Edge Effects: Poetry, Place, and Spiritual Practices” focusses on the intersection of the environmental and religious imaginations in the work of five West Coast poets: Robinson Jeffers, Theodore Roethke, Robert Hass, Denise Levertov, and Jan Zwicky. My research examines the selected poems for their reimagination of the sacred perceived through attachments to particular places. For these writers, poetry is a constitutive practice, part of a way of life that includes desire for wise participation in the more-than-human community. Taking into account the poets’ critical reflections and historical-cultural contexts, along with a range of critical and philosophical sources, the poetry is examined as a discursive spiritual exercise. It is seen as conjoined with other focal practices of place, notably meditative walking and attentive looking and listening under the influence of ecospiritual eros. My analysis attends to aesthetics of relinquishment, formal strategies employed to recognize and accept finitude and the non-anthropocentric nature of reality, along with the complementary aesthetics of affirmation, configuration of the goodness of the whole. I identify an orienting feature of West Coast place, particular to each poet, that recurs as a leitmotif for engagement of such aesthetics and related practices. In chapter one, I consider a group of Jeffers’s final poems as part of a project he designated “our De Natura,” attending especially to his affinity for stones and stars. In chapter two, I investigate both Roethke’s and Hass’s configurations of ecospiritual eros in accord with their fascination for flora, while in chapter three, I employ the concepts of “aura” and “resonance” to explicate Levertov’s meditations on the “coming and going” Mount Rainier-Tacoma and Zwicky’s reflective iterations of the sea. / Graduate / 2019-04-04