The Loons of Squam Lake By William Graham Poet, novelist and travel writer William Graham is a resident of Stowe, Vermont and author of “Seven Continents: A Travel Memoir.” In the chapter called “Brute Neighbors” in Walden, Thoreau describes a playful encounter with a diving loon. Thoreau tried to determine where the loon would surface after diving into the water. Thoreau would inevitably be incorrect. Thoreau writes: “While he was thinking one thing in his brain, I was endeavoring to divine his thought in mine. It was a pretty game, played on the smooth water of the pond, a man against a loon.” Later, when the loon did surface, Thoreau mentions the loon’s “demonic” and “unearthly” laughter that seemed to mock him. (Thus we get the phrase “silly as a loon.”) As is often the case
... read more
