Closer to the Fire – v4

A summer, long ago

a different sleepover,

out under the stars,

in the Berkshire woods

when summer camp

meant the YMCA, Camp Shepard

Dad and I arrived late,

what a surprise,

my age group

already at the campsite,

long past dusk

Finding a spot to roll the sleeping bag

on the ground, look for roots,

for rocks underneath

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

A sudden rustling nearby, FREEZE…

for the family of skunks

was out for a snack;

lay still in the sleeping bags

boys, for we dread a mistake

made more real, urgent,

this far from the fire.

---------------------

edited September 26, 2019

Closer to the Fire – v4

https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2019/09/closer-to-fire-v4.html

editing original and version 3

&

edited September 26, 2019

Pocahontas-ed – v2

https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2019/09/pocahontas-ed-v2.html

&

edited September 26, 2019

Focused on My Family – v3

https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2019/09/focused-on-my-family-v3.html

&

Edited January 7, 2014

Focused on My Family - v2

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2014/01/focused-on-my-family-v2.html

&

edited April 7, 2015

Closer to the Fire – v3

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/04/closer-to-fire-v3.html

(editing version 2)

Camp Shepard

https://www.facebook.com/groups/42387562562/

https://www.facebook.com/CampShepard

edited July 22, 2012

“Closer to the Fire – v2

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2012/07/closer-to-fire-v2.html

&

part of a series of poems written the same night

&

September 23, 2006 21:07

Focused on My Family

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2006/09/focused-on-my-family.html

note 9/26/19 –

not sure the basis of the change in plans,

Erica was 10, Shyanne 6, Shanequa 4;

but I wrote the poem Pocahontas-ed

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2006/09/pocahontas-ed.html

at September 23, 2006 21:12, about 5 minutes later

about the girls sleeping downstairs with gramma

and about 15 minutes later I wrote the poem

Closer to the Fire at September 23, 2006 21:22

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2006/09/closer-to-fire.html

about YMCA summer camp years before

All of my poems, photographs, and videos are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019. All rights are reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com)  for usage. See all 52,080+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

faith poetry, Family, fire, forest, God, June, Poetry Where You Live, praise poems, praise poetry, Raymond A. Foss, rock, senses, stone, summer, white, yard, YMCA, Camp Shepard, Westfield,

#faith #poetry #Family #fire #forest #God #June #rock #senses #stone #summer #white #yard #YMCA #CampShepard