Tuesday, April 07, 2015

Closer to the Fire – v3

A summer, long ago
a different sleepover,
out under the stars,
in the Berkshire woods
when summer camp
meant the YMCA,
our own Camp Shepard.

We arrived late,
what a surprise, just kidding,
my age group , laid out
already at the campsite,
long past dusk, tripping on the roots
searching for them, looking in the dark.

Find a spot to roll the sleeping bag
on the ground, look for roots,
for rocks underneath, be careful,
see the sparks of the campfire
yards off, spiraling upward
toward the white pines above.

Creating strange orange silhouettes
in the June air, stillness,
Nearer to the overflowing trash can
than the fire pit, a few of us stragglers
hunkering down for the night
hopefully not in a bed of poison ivy.

A sudden rustling nearby, freeze, quiet!
for the family of skunks
was out for an evening snack;
Lay still in the sleeping bags boys,
for we dread a mistake,
made more real, urgent
this far from the fire.

----
edited April 7, 2015
Closer to the Fire – v3

(editing version 2)
Camp Shepard
edited July 22, 2012
“Closer to the Fire – v2
September 23, 2006 21:22
“Closer to the Fire”

All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 36,880+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

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