Leaning Landmasses
Get out a world map. It works best if it’s not a fancy map that lays everything out like an orange peel. For this to work, you need to imagine south as down, the source of gravity. Think of Cuba and the Greater and Lesser Antilles as islands that just leapt off the Yucatan like it’s a diving board, and are now arcing their way down toward South America.
Not every landmass is moving with that kind of Olympic grace. But the idea applies, just look at the continents. North America looks like it’s lounging. South America is proudly stepping forward, chest out. Between the Iberian, Italian and Balkan Peninsulas, Europe looks mid-stride. Africa has just casually hoisted the Arabian Peninsula up onto its shoulder.
But if you really want to see the fluid movement of land caught in action, you have to look at islands. Japan, New Zealand, they’ve got a swagger about them. The Philippines is bending over for a hot meal. I’m sure you’re already thinking of other examples.
People are always talking about their state looking like a mitten (Michigan), or a hand (Wisconsin). Which is fair. But I think that seeing these pieces of land as things in motion feels more dynamic.
There’s something about islands already, a personality that makes them feel recently hewn. You know you’re on an island. It must be the same feeling you get below deck on a small sea going vessel. A self-contained, adventurous mode. Like Hawaii the big island. It looks like it’s leading the pack east, beckoning as it goes.
