Thomas Joshua Cooper

Drowned Trees along the Mississippi, from the Source to the Sea—Last Goodbyes, Hidden Dangers—Weeping Willows on the Trail of Tears, the East Bank of the Lower Mississippi River, Trail of Tears State Park, near Jackson, Cape Girardeau County, Mississippi, United States Whilst making this picture, I unexpectedly sank into a camouflaged sinkhole. I was being sucked down quickly. Luckily my guide rescued me. The picture was successfully made. It was Friday the 13th! There were butterflies fluttering all about – perhaps “spirits” of my Cherokee ancestors were trying to help… I lost my wonderful Danner boots (almost impossible to imagine how) in that sinkhole. They were stripped of my feet. I was in just below my waist when finally rescued. Those boots had taken me to both Poles and back.2010, printed 2014