A #Sunflower Grows – v3 #Ukraine

Day by day, stronger,
a seed grows, a hope,
taller and taller, resurgent,
climbing toward the sun
yearning, striving, into the light…
 
Ants and beetles, locusts,
nibble, shred its leaves, injured;
but it grows, it still grows, stronger,
chartreuse, bright green, vibrant green
verdant green, youthful, living, alive…
 
Needing the sky, the sun, the light,
four feet and more still, growing,
a single head, ready to unfurl
to burst forth, in glory, in praise,
singing a song for our Creator God…
 
Triumphant in blooming
vivid yellow, like the sun,
the beauty of their nation, their people
standing tall against the clear blue sky,
never far from the rich black soil,
the land they fight for, they love...

 
--------------
Edited March 15, 2025
A Sunflower Grows – v3
 
edited March 15, 2022
A Sunflower Grows – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2022/03/a-sunflower-grows-v2.html
July 29, 2006 21:15
edited July 30, 2006 9:33
A Sunflower Grows
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2006/07/sunflower-grows_30.html
&
edited May 8, 2018
Flowers Ablaze – v2
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2018/05/flowers-ablaze-v2.html
October 15, 2006 15:56
Flowers Ablaze
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2006/10/flowers-ablaze.html
 
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, 2023, 2024, and 2025. 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.
 
creator, Faith, faith poetry, Family, flowers, God, hope, light, Nature, senses, blue, yellow, poem, poetry, Shanequa, Ukraine,
 
#creator #Faith #Family #flowers #God #hope #light #Nature #blue #yellow #sunflowers #poetry #poem #Ukraine #StandWithUkraine

#Dew on the #Tulips (5/15/2006, Claremont, NH)

Perfect droplets posed,
dew, rain, water,
cling to purple skin,
liquid flesh of the tulip…
 
Holding on, for moments more,
before the melting away,
May sunshine, evaporating,
waiting for my camera
posing, posturing…
 
Holding still for the shot
ready to complete the cycle,
from the cloud to the earth
and back again, an aerosol,
warming of morning…
 
---------------
Edited April 2, 2024
Dew on the Tulips
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/04/dew-on-tulips.html
May 20, 2007 17:13
Dew on the Tulip
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2007/05/dew-on-tulip.html
May 15, 2006

Tulips in the rain
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2006/05/tulips-in-rain.html
 
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, 2023, and 2024. 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.
 
===============
poetry, Christian poetry, Nature, creator, flowers, praise poems, praise poetry, religious poetry, Faith, tulips, hope, faith poetry, Photos, Christian poems, poem, God,
 
#poetry #christianpoetry #Nature #creator #flowers #praise poems #praise poetry #religiouspoetry #Faith #tulips #hope #faithpoetry #Photos #christianpoems #poem #God

Yard Salad – v2

With an old newspaper
for a bowl, a plate and
water from the hose
for their salad dressing,
I saw them thinking, mixing,
working their collective talents,
it was all about the presentation…
 
Four junior chefs, gathered,
with ages from three to ten,
yanked and threshed a yard salad,
from the wet, rain drenched,
and shower fed field of weeds,
beside our in-town home…
 
Clover, dandelion, plantain
and grasses of varying length,
with dirt included bodily,
heaped on the makeshift platter,
stirred with pine and oak,
until they were ready
for their presentation…
 
----------------
Edited March 15, 2024
Yard Salad – v2
 
5/30/05 21:49, edited 5/31/05 12:22
Yard Salad
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2005/05/yard-salad.html
 
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, 2023, and 2024. 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.
 
Poetry, love, rain, shower, yard, flowers, praise poems, praise poetry, clover, water, faith poetry, home, grass, Shanequa, Family, Shyanne, God,
 
#Poetry #love #rain #shower #yard #flowers #praisepoems #praisepoetry #clover #water #faithpoetry #home #grass #Shanequa #Family #Shyanne #God

A #Violet Shawl – v6

She sat beside me in our car, silently,
a dark skirt, a white, hand-stitched blouse
with bright Andean characters, terra cotta dolls;
Sunlight poured through our windshield,
causing her violet shawl drink warmth into the wool
radiating color, a singular band of the spectrum,
clear, bright violet, brilliant, alive in that moment,
the outer band of the arc, the bow of God,
living color, wrapped around her shoulders,
to fight against the growing cold.
 
=====
Edited March 10, 2024
A Violet Shawl – v6
 
edited September 30, 2017
A Violet Shawl – v5
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2017/09/a-violet-shawl-v5.html
edited July 11, 2015
A Violet Shawl – v3
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/07/a-violet-shawl-v3.html
(editing original)
edited July 11, 2015
A Violet Shawl – v4
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/07/a-violet-shawl-v4.html
(editing version 2)
Edited December 15, 2013
A Violet Shawl – v2
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2013/12/a-violet-shawl-v2.html
4/27/06 7:55pm
A Violet Shawl
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2006/04/violet-shawl.html
 
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, 2023, and 2024. 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.
 
colors, creator, faith poetry, God, hands, king, light, poem, poetry, Poetry Where You Live, Raymond A. Foss, sing, white, wind,
 
#colors #creator #faith #God #hands #king #light #poem #poetry #sing #white #wind

Alabaster Air – v2

I can remember a night,
a hushed quiet night,
when I sat and melted
into the Alabaster air…
bleed from me the cares of the day,
wash me of my stress.
 
I can feel the stillness in the dusk,
wrap me in the cooling,
draw the night to my breast,
Alabaster air within me,
hear my subtle breath,
slowing in my chest.
 
----------
Edited February 8, 2024
Alabaster Air – v2
 
July 25, 2006 19:41
Alabaster Air
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2006/07/alabaster-air.html
 
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, 2023, and 2024. 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.
 
poetry, Nature, creator, Raymond A. Foss, Faith, hope, faith poetry, breath, poem, New Hampshire, Poetry Where You Live, Family, July, God,
 
#poetry #Nature #creator #RaymondAFoss #Faith #hope #faith poetry #breath #poem #NewHampshire #PoetryWhereYouLive #Family #July #God

Ribbons of Children – v4

Amid the controlled chaos on the playground
gathering children before school
a living “Where’s Waldo” poster,
the schoolyard, the playground this morning
ribbons of children, running, skipping,
dancing over the blacktop, together, as one…
 
Being children, free, out in the open air
under a summer sky of blue, still summer,
at the very start of the school year,
snaking their way, through the hopscotch,
the jump rope, the tag and the banter,
coursing, like ants to the nest,
following a scent line in the dust…
 
No hands were held,
but they moved together,
as if connected, dancing, singing,
a ribbon of children, moving,
snaking a path through the others,
giggling, shouting, laughing all the way…
 
====================
Edited January 31, 2024
Ribbons of Children – v4
 
Edited January 31, 2024
A ribbon of children – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2024/01/a-ribbon-of-children-v2.html
Edited July 25, 2019
Ribbons of Children – v3
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2019/07/ribbons-of-children-v3.html
April 28, 2013
A ribbon of children
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2013/04/a-ribbon-of-children.html
Edited April 24, 2013
Ribbons of Children – v2
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2013/04/ribbons-of-children-v2.html
August 29, 2008
Ribbons of Children
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2008/08/ribbons-of-children.html
Pembroke Village School
 
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, 2023, and 2024. 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.
 
Poetry, child, creator, dance, faith poetry, Family, God, hands, laughing, NH, Pembroke Village School, play, schools, Shanequa, Shyanne, singing, Suncook NH, children,
 
#poetry #child #creator #dance #faithpoetry #Family #God #hands #laughing #play #schools #singing

A ribbon of children – v2

Watching, silently,
on the edge of the playground,
a father dropping off children,
releasing them to the school…
 
Amid the controlled chaos
a living “Where’s Waldo” poster,
the schoolyard, playground this morning,
watching them forming, a living thread…
 
A ribbon of children,
running, skipping,
dancing across the blacktop,
as if stitched together, a line…
 
Being children, free,
out in the open air
snaking their way,
through the hopscotch court…
 
The jump rope,
the tag and the banter,
coursing, like ants to the nest,
following a scent line in the dust…
 
No hands were held,
but they moved together,
as if connected, giggling,
a ribbon of children, moving,
laughing as one…
 
----------------
Edited January 31, 2024
A ribbon of children – v2
 
Edited July 25, 2019
Ribbons of Children – v3
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2019/07/ribbons-of-children-v3.html

April 28, 2013
A ribbon of children
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2013/04/a-ribbon-of-children.html

Edited April 24, 2013
Ribbons of Children – v2
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2013/04/ribbons-of-children-v2.html
August 29, 2008
Ribbons of Children
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2008/08/ribbons-of-children.html
Pembroke Village School
 
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, 2023, and 2024. 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.
 
Poetry, August, chaos, child, control, creator, dance, faith poetry, Family, God, hands, laughing, NH, Pembroke Village School, play, schools, Shanequa, Shyanne, singing, Suncook NH,
 
#poetry #August #chaos #child #control #creator #dance #faithpoetry #Family #God #hands #laughing #NH #play #schools #Shanequa #Shyanne #singing #SuncookNH

A Field of Ferns – v4

Above the bluff, the scar, the washouts,
clear-cut of the high, power lines,
a forest of pine opens westward,
where the deer come to graze,
a beautiful broad flat plain.
 
Surrounded by these conifers,
a field of ferns, rising on sturdy,
erect stalks, broad leaves,
to drink the pure shafts of light,
falling briefly, through the canopy.
 
The tall mast pines, straight and true,
red-brown needles, a carpet between,
the ferns, the regal trees, an evenness,
of surface, short pile rug, northward,
to Canada, as far as the eye can see.
 
Green ferns, red-brown needles,
green-brown trunks, broad,
bright green needles, new growth,
above, reaching to blue sky,
the arc of the dome.
 
----  
Edited January 29, 2024
A Field of Ferns – v4
 
edited July 12, 2019
A Field of Ferns – v3
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2019/07/a-field-of-ferns-v3.html
merging edits to original and version 2
edited
June 21, 2014
A Field of Ferns – v2
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2014/06/a-field-of-ferns-v2.html
August 31, 2006 9:30am
A Field of Ferns
http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2006/08/field-of-ferns_31.html
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, 2023, and 2024. 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.
 
Poetry, August, blue, brown, creator, face, Faith, faith poetry, ferns, forest, God, green, hope, leaves, light, Nature, New Hampshire, pine trees, Poetry Where You Live, sing, sky,
 
#poetry #August #blue #brown #creator #face #Faith #ferns #forest #God #green #hope #leaves #light #Nature #pine #trees #sing #sky

Pink Slides – v3

I saw her for but a split second,
driving down Canal toward home,
off to the left, next to me, behind me,
almost over my shoulder.
 
Something didn’t fit,
caught my eye,
even in peripheral vision,
made me look again, shake my head,
try to make sense of the look,
the affect she was going for;
Strange.
 
No, there was something wrong,
out of step, disjointed,
something that caught me,
in that slack space,
making me pause, close to home,
breaking me from the auto-pilot.
 
It was the shoes, her shoes.
 
Her top was pink, nothing special,
she worn grey flare jersey pants,
anything but Capri,
scalloped and stitched at the bottom,
in the old days, they would have been called sweats,
that made sense, just a block down from Curves.
 
But they weren’t matched to the top,
They were matched, paired,
to her pink strap slides;
They were the thing that didn’t fit,
made me look again,
far too formal.
 
They may not have had spiked heels; but they were,
shoes she would have worn out to cocktails last night,
the bars on Elm Street, or darker ones, closer to the water,
shoes for the club scene, not a stroll down on Canal…
 
Incongruous on the sidewalk,
in the middle of the day,
in the sunlight, harsh, revealing,
visible for a moment,
as she strutted down, purposefully,
heading toward the bridge.
 
-----
Edited January 26, 2024
Pink slides – v3
 
Edited November 5, 2012
Pink Slides – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2012/11/pink-slides-v2.html
June 24, 2006 20:24
Pink Slides
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2006/06/pink-slides.html
And no, I have no idea what she looked like.
 
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, 2023, and 2024. 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.
 
America, colors, shoes, Driving, eyes, faith poetry, Family, God, home, June, light, Manchester NH, New Hampshire, pink, poem, poetry, Poetry Where You Live, senses, Writing Poetry
 
#shoes #America #colors #Driving #eyes #Family #God #light #ManchesterNH #NH #pink #poem #poetry #senses #Writing

Flowers Ablaze – v3

Walking down the sidewalk
on the way to pick up Shanequa
our littlest after elementary school
three in the afternoon, New Hampshire,
bathed in early October.
 
Low light breaks between
the tenements, pushing, striving,
through the late sunflowers
beams, shafts of brilliant yellow
this warm afternoon aglow.
 
Warm light floods my senses
overwhelms my ability to see it all;
but captured in the image
for us all to see once more,
a perfect moment frozen in time.

================  

edited March 24, 2022

Flowers Ablaze – v3

 

edited May 8, 2018

Flowers Ablaze – v2

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2018/05/flowers-ablaze-v2.html

October 15, 2006 15:56

Flowers Ablaze

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2006/10/flowers-ablaze.html

 

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, and 2022. 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.

 

creator, dew, Faith, faith poetry, Family, flowers, God, hope, light, Nature, New Hampshire, October, Photos, schools, senses, way, yellow, poem, poetry, Shanequa,

 

#creator #dew #Faith #faithpoetry #Family #flowers #God #hope #light #Nature #NewHampshire #October #Photos #schools #senses #way #yellow #sunflowers #school #poetry #poem #Shanequa

A #Sunflower #Grows – v2 #Ukraine

Day by day
a seed grows
taller and taller
climbing toward the sun
yearning, striving, into the light
 
Ants and beetles
nibble, shred its leaves;
but it grows, it still grows
chartreuse, bright green, vibrant green
verdant green, youthful, living, alive
 
Needing the sky, the sun,
four feet and more still, growing,
a single head, ready to unfurl
to burst forth, in glory, in praise,
singing a song for our Creator God
 
Triumphant in blooming
vivid yellow, like the sun,
standing tall against the clear blue sky.
 
--------------

edited March 15, 2022

A Sunflower Grows – v2

 

July 29, 2006 21:15

edited July 30, 2006 9:33

A Sunflower Grows

https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2006/07/sunflower-grows_30.html

&

edited May 8, 2018

Flowers Ablaze – v2

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2018/05/flowers-ablaze-v2.html

October 15, 2006 15:56

Flowers Ablaze

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2006/10/flowers-ablaze.html

 

 

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, and 2022. 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.

 

 

creator, Faith, faith poetry, Family, flowers, God, hope, light, Nature, senses, blue, yellow, poem, poetry, Shanequa, Ukraine,

 

#creator #Faith #faithpoetry #Family #flowers #God #hope #light #Nature #senses #blue #yellow #sunflowers #poetry #poem #Ukraine

 

Sealed by the Lord ' v2

The Lord was the one,
who saved him and his family
the animals, the birds, all creation
from wrath. from the flood, 
from the cleansing
the cleaning of the earth
They went according to His will
into the unknown, into the Ark
and were sealed in by the Lord.


-----------
edited February 23, 2020


December 30, 2006 8:10

Genesis 7:16
“And those who entered [the Ark], male and female of all flesh,
went is as God had commanded him [Noah]; and the Lord shut him in.”


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, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 54,050+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Pocahontas-ed – v2

I can hear them now,

ages four and six,

squabbling a bit, not settling

wrapped in Pocahontas

downstairs on the pull-out couch

Gramma and the two girls

sheets, comforter, pillow cases too

Indian princess covering ours

a sleepover in the living room

fitfully quieting for the night

past her bedtime, approaching theirs

on the weekend, Saturday,

pushing for more time

before slumber wins out

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

edited September 26, 2019

Pocahontas-ed – v2

&

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 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 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.

christian poems, christian poetry, Concord NH, creator, daughter, faith poetry, Family, God, New Hampshire, poem, poetry, Poetry Where You Live, Shanequa, Shyanne, Pocahontas,

#christianpoems #christianpoetry #ConcordNH #creator #daughter #faithpoetry #Family #God #NewHampshire #poem #poetry #Shanequa #Shyanne

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.

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