The spell of the night – v4

This was a pure, perfect moment,
etched in memory, within me,
of a night of wonder
out on Eagle Lake.
 
Leading onward
away from civilization
toward rushing waters,
the river calling to all of us.
 
The falls, adrenaline,
but that was for tomorrow,
or at least later this morning
after we paddled further.
 
Now it was past midnight,
on a star marked lake,
under the Milky Way
up on the Allagash.
 
In the spell of the night
eight canoes pushing
out from the shore
moving onward.
 
Only the bite of the blades,
and the drizzle of the water
falling off them,
in feathering our paddles.
 
None of us speaking,
not breaking the magic,
the stillness, in those moments,
the spell that the night had on us.
 
=====
Edited December 17, 2023
The spell of the night – v4
 
&
Edited December 17, 2023
Trout for breakfast – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2023/12/trout-for-breakfast-v2.html
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2023/12/trout-for-breakfast-v2_17.html
July 19, 2007 21:24
Trout for breakfast
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2007/07/trout-for-breakfast.html
after the night of:
Breaking Camp – v7
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/08/breaking-camp-v7.html
the spell of the night – v3
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/04/the-spell-of-night-v3.html
&
July 17, 2023
The sky above me opened
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2023/07/the-sky-above-me-opened.html
Reacting to post on July 14, 2023
by Andrew McCarthy
https://twitter.com/AJamesMcCarthy/status/1679861569650593792
“I saw the night sky for the 1st time
when I was 16 canoeing the
Allagash Wilderness Waterway
https://www.maine.gov/dacf/parksearch/PropertyGuides/PDF_GUIDE/aww-guide.pdf
in northern Maine.”
&
edited January 25, 2022
Stilling myself, silent – v3
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2022/01/stilling-myself-silent-v3.html
&
edited January 24, 2022
The Milky Way above me – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2022/01/the-milky-way-above-me-v2.html
&
January 3, 2022
The bear cub
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2022/01/the-bear-cub.html
About drive out of Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument
after 2019 Stars Over Katahdin dark skies event. 
Drafted after reading first part of poem "Clapp's Brook" by Mary Oliver.
&
edited January 1, 2021
Looking across the valley - v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2021/02/looking-across-valley-v2.html
February 1, 2021
Looking across the valley
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2021/02/looking-across-valley.htmll
https://twitter.com/raymondafoss/status/1356233398117920769
https://www.nps.gov/kaww/index.htm
https://baxterstatepark.org//
seeing Mount Katahdin from Ash Hill, Route 11, Patten, ME ;
title a nod to LeGrand Cannon, Jr.’s book, Look to the Mountain,
about Mt. Chocorua in NH
&
edited January 24, 2022
Dip your cup into memory – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2022/01/dip-your-cup-into-memory-v2.html
&
edited January 24, 2022
Stilling myself, silent – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2022/01/stilling-myself-silent-v2.html
January 24, 2022
Stilling myself, silent
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2022/01/stilling-myself-silent.html
January 24, 2022
Dip your cup into memory
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2022/01/dip-your-cup-into-memory.html
January 24, 2022
The Milky Way above me
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2022/01/the-milky-way-above-me.html
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2022/01/the-milky-way-above-me_24.html
&
edited January 24, 2022
Moonlight – v3
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2022/01/moonlight-v3.html
&
edited January 19, 2022
Shimmering in the full-moon light – v3
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2022/01/shimmering-in-full-moon-light-v3.html
edited January 18, 2022
Shimmering in the full-moon light – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2022/01/shimmering-in-full-moon-light-v2.html
January 18, 2022
Shimmering in the full-moon light
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2022/01/shimmering-in-full-moon-light.html
driving over the Route 16 bridge/causeway over the St. Johns River
&
edited December 28, 2015
Moonlight – v2
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/12/moonlight-v2.html
posted February 10, 2004
written August 16, 2000
Moonlight
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2004/02/moonlight.html
Written August 16, 2000 at 11:30pm, after paddling
on the lake after the School Board meeting ran late.
&
December 26, 2021
Bursting, rising
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2021/12/bursting-rising.html
edited March 10, 2020
by the side of a lake – v5
https://twitter.com/raymondafoss/status/1237525423459721217
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2020/03/by-side-of-lake-v5.html
edited March 8, 2020
by the side of a lake – v4
https://twitter.com/raymondafoss/status/1236658755405778944
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2020/03/by-side-of-lake-v4.html
stanza 1 – https://twitter.com/raymondafoss/status/1236658184066039814
stanza 2 – https://twitter.com/raymondafoss/status/1236656401197432832
edited March 8, 2020
by the side of a lake – v3
https://twitter.com/raymondafoss/status/1236649623726546944
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2020/03/by-side-of-lake-v3.html
stanza 1 – https://twitter.com/raymondafoss/status/1236648812279730179
stanza 2 – https://twitter.com/raymondafoss/status/1236648239019036672
edited March 8, 2020
by the side of a lake – v2
https://twitter.com/raymondafoss/status/1236638070516129794
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2020/03/by-side-of-lake-v2.html
https://twitter.com/raymondafoss/status/1236637374282641411
March 8, 2020
by the side of a lake
https://twitter.com/raymondafoss/status/1236629369256321024
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2020/03/by-side-of-lake.html
https://twitter.com/raymondafoss/status/1236628321573785600
https://twitter.com/raymondafoss/status/1236625326416883714
written in response to a question
on Realistic Poetry
https://twitter.com/RealisticPoetry/status/1236457843055669248
“Many poets believe poetry is an escape.
If your poetry could take you anywhere to temporarily escape,
where would it be and why?”
 
======
edited August 21, 2015
Breaking Camp – v7
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/08/breaking-camp-v7.html
(editing version 3)
edited July 18, 2015
Breaking Camp – v6
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/07/breaking-camp-v6.html
(editing version 5)
edited April 21, 2015
The Skin of the Lake – v7
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/04/the-skin-of-lake-v7.html
(editing original)
edited April 21, 2015
Breaking Camp – v5
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/04/breaking-camp-v5.html
(editing original again)
edited April 19, 2015
The Skin of the Lake – v6
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/04/the-skin-of-lake-v6-skin-of-lake-sliced.html
(editing original again)
edited April 17, 2015
The Skin of the Lake – v5
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/04/the-skin-of-lake-v5.html
(editing version 4)
edited April 16, 2015
Flowing North – v4
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/04/flowing-north-v4.html
(editing version 3)
edited April 16, 2015
the spell of the night – v3
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/04/the-spell-of-night-v3.html
(editing version 2)
edited April 16, 2015
Under the Stars – v3
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/04/under-stars-v3.html
(editing version 2)
edited April 16, 2015
The Ledges – v5
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/04/the-ledges-v5.html
(editing version 4)
edited April 15, 2015
Breaking Camp – v4
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/04/breaking-camp-v4.html
(editing version 3)
Edited May 4, 2013
“The Skin of the Lake – v4
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2013/05/the-skin-of-lake-v4.html
Edited February 23, 2013
“The Skin of the Lake – v3”
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-skin-of-lake-v3.html
Edited February 23, 2013
“The Skin of the Lake – v2”
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-skin-of-lake-v2.html
July 28, 2010
“The Skin of the Lake”
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2010/07/skin-of-lake.html
-----
edited April 16, 2015
The Ledges – v5
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/04/the-ledges-v5.html
(editing version 4)
edited May 2, 2013
“the spell of the night – v2”
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2013/05/the-spell-of-night-v2.html
new poem, February 23, 2013
“the spell of the night”
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-spell-of-night.html
&
Edited February 23, 2013
“The Skin of the Lake – v3”
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-skin-of-lake-v3.html
Edited February 23, 2013
“The Skin of the Lake – v2”
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-skin-of-lake-v2.html
July 28, 2010
“The Skin of the Lake”
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2010/07/skin-of-lake.html
&
Edited May 4, 2013
“Under the Stars – v2”
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2013/05/under-stars-v2.html
July 19, 2007 21:28
“Under the Stars”
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2007/07/under-stars.html
&
edited April 14, 2014
“Breaking Camp – v3”
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2014/04/breaking-camp-v3.html
(editing original again)
Edited May 4, 2013
“Breaking Camp – v2”
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2013/05/breaking-camp-v2.html
November 23, 2006 18:00
“Breaking Camp”
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2006/11/breaking-camp.html
&
edited December 7, 2014
Free Time – v3
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2014/12/free-time-v3.html
edited May 28, 2014
Free Time – v2
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2014/05/free-time-v2.html
posted May 24, 2004
Free Time
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2004/05/free-time.html
saved March 26, 2004
&
Edited November 2, 2013
“The Ledges – v4”
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2013/11/the-ledges-v4.html
Edited May 4, 2013
“The Ledges – v3”
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2013/05/the-ledges-v3.html
Edited September 20, 2012
“The Ledges – v2”
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-ledges-v2.html
editing the original again
inspired by reading it at Poets’ Corner
monthly poetry reading,
at the Suncook Senior Center
September 10, 2012
 “The Ledges”
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2004/02/ledges.html
Written July 14, 2000.
It is based on a single night in the summer of 1977 when I was part of a group from Claremont's Stevens High School that canoed the Allagash in northern Maine.
http://www.state.me.us/cgi-bin/doc/parks/find_one_name.pl?park_id=2
Allagash Wilderness Waterway
&
It was the third and final major canoe trip I went on (Saco River in 1975 starting in Fryeburg, ME, Allagash in 1976-July-ish when it was warmer and slower). This trip was earlier, in May, when the water ran faster and the time was spent moving down river with the flow of the river. Nights were a lot cooler and the food was a lot different. Many of us had bad hypothermia the first night because it was a cold rain and none of us had unpacked our bags to pull out the foul weather gear. I remember well having to strip off all of my cold wet clothes and sharing a sleeping bag with another camper. The night written about here started innocently enough. We arrived at this particular campsite on Eagle Lake (or Churchill Lake) earlier than normal, because of the river's current. We all set up each tent and set the dinner fire going. I think it was fried bologna. We all turned in early. We were tired. The moon rose before 11. There were ants and black flies everywhere. One of the campers had to sit by the fire at each campsite to ward off the black flies. Anyway, one by one we all realized we weren't going to sleep any more that night. Before am, we were all pacing around, uneasy. The leaders all agreed to put out for the next camp. We weren't in any rush at am though. This was the way I felt about this night. After we put in mid morning at the next site, I remember the wonderful brook trout we caught and I can still taste it, twenty-three years later. I think these times, when I was moving from Massachusetts to New Hampshire, when I was canoeing the Saco and then the Allagash were some of the happiest of my high school days. On the 1976 trip, from Massachusetts, I found the canoe paddle I wrote about in the poem "Wind" I always talked about going back to the Allagash; but I have never gone back. It wasn't until 22 years later that I finally got my canoe again.
 
 
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, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023. All rights are reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com) for usage. See all 53,000+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.
 
 
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