Walden by Henry Thoreau, pg. 259 - 300

Thoreau discusses the pond in spring, and its thawing. He discusses the idea of spring, and regrowth, drawing parallels between the sprouting of leaves and the growth of all things. All nature is considered to consist of a legion of constantly metamorphosing leaves or "lobes" of life, from the plates of earth to river and so on; the globe an organism, quivering and erupting upon itself with life and decay.

He finally left Waldens pond after another year, summarizing the second merely by saying it passed much like the first. In explaining his reasons for moving on he states that "perhaps he had several more lives to live" and that he could not spend any more time on that one. Noting how easily we fall into routine, which was to some extent something he had come to the pond to avoid; he remarks on the migration of natural animals, as the birds fly thousands of miles in winter warmer areas, and buffaloe move across the plains to find better grassland.