Mark J. Halliday Poet Lyric

Notes About The Poem

I escorted a tropp of Boy Scouts to their summer camp at Camp Chawanakee, on Shaver Lake, in the Sierras mountains of California in June 2017.  I had written previously a song called Scouters (which I haven't yet put to music), and decided to rewrite it as a rap song for the summer camp.  I got permission from the camp staff to perform the song at their Final Campfire, their closing ceremony, on the night of 16 June 2017. One of my scouts recorded it on my cellphone, and I posted it to youtube.com, at this URL:  www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkadsI7TR_I

Chawanakee Rap With Video

Give  them  clear    mountain   lakes,   	
Kid-friendly  swimming  holes,	
Rafts,  canoes,  and  sailboats;        	
Dads  and  sons  with  fishing-poles.	
Give  them  clear  night  skies,          	
With just  a  little  moonlight.
To  see  the Milky  Way,                 	
Hunting snipes by flashlight.    Hoowah!

                                  (Boy Scouts)  Chawanakee! (clap clap) Chawanakee!

Give them old patch jackets          	
So that they can tell their tales:	
Camporees, jamborees,                 
And famous historic trails		
Give them old traditions:            	
Native American folklore;		
Ashes saved from campfires,        	
From Scouters who went before.     Hoowah!

                                   (Boy Scouts) Chawanakee! (clap clap) Chawanakee!

All Scouts want is just a chance        
To meet wildlife, touch native plants,
Go stargazing and backpacking,   
Earn merit badges for everything.
All Scouts want is just somewhere   
To swim and hike and breathe fresh air,
Cook, laugh and sing ‘round a campfire--  
There just ain’t much more 
That a Scout can desire.

                                   (Boy Scouts) Chawanakee! (clap clap) Chawanakee!

Give them wood to build with,
Lengths of rope with knots to tie,   
Multi-tool pocket knives,
Tenderfoots wanting to try.
Give them trails to follow, 
Maps and compasses to read,
Kindling for a bonfire, 
And patrols of Scouts to lead.     Hoowah!

                                   (Boy Scouts) Chawanakee! (clap clap) Chawanakee!

All Scouts want is just a chance        
To meet wildlife, touch native plants,
Go stargazing and backpacking,   
Earn merit badges for everything.
All Scouts want is just somewhere   
To swim and hike and breathe fresh air,
Cook, laugh and sing ‘round a campfire.  
There just ain’t much more 
That a Scout can desire.           Everybody!

                                 (Boy Scouts) CHAWANAKEE! (clap clap) CHAWANAKEE!

♡Like0

Share Poem

---

Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.

Please Login to post a comment