The sky above me opened

How many minutes did I close my eyes,
walking away from the fire,
losing myself to the darkness
to see truly for the first time?
 
The sky above me opened,
the Milky Way present,
nothing I had ever seen before,
living in the suburbs.
 
Not smallness, mortality,
feelings welling up within me,
wonder, providence, creation,
from the hands of a Creator.
 
The sky above me perfect,
the Milky Way calling,
nothing I had ever seen before,
living in the bright suburbs.
 

---------------  

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.

 

 

creation, Faith, God, hearing, Maine, memories, Nature, night, Poetry Where You Live, Raymond A. Foss, river, senses, sound, water, Writing Poetry, poem, poetry, lake, summer,

 

#poetry #Canoe #cold #creation #eyes #Faith #God #hearing #imagination #memories #Nature #night #river #senses #sight #sound #water #Writing #summer #coffee #lake

 

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

poetry, Faith, God, family, Nature, memory, memories,

 

#poetry #Faith #God #family #nature #memory #memories

 

--------

poetry, poem, Faith, hope, moon, Nature, water, river, night, God, full moon, moonlight, Milky Way, stars, Maine, Allagash Wilderness Waterway, Thoreau, dark sky,

 

#poetry #poem #Faith #hope #moon #Nature #sky #water #river #night #God #fullmoon #moonlight #MilkyWay #stars #AllagashWildernessWaterway #darksky