Scouters

Give them clear mountain lakes,   
And kid-friendly swimming holes,	
Rafts, rowboats, and canoes;        
Dads and sons with fishing poles.
Give them clear night skies,          
Filled with just enough moonlight	
To find shadowy paths--                 
Navigating by starlight.	

Give them old patch jackets          
To remind them of their tales:	
Camporees, jamborees,                 
And famous historic trails	
Give them some traditions            
From American folklore;	
Ashes saved from campfires,        
To teach them who went before.	

Give them Boy Scout handbooks,    
Lengths of rope with knots to tie,   
Multi-tool pocket knives,                
And young Scouts wanting to try.
Give them trails to follow,             
Maps and compasses to read.	
Stories around a fire, 	              
Patrols of Boy Scouts to lead.	

All Scouts want is just a chance        
To watch wildlife and touch native plants,
Go snipe hunting and backpacking,   
And earn merit badges for everything.
All Scouts want is just somewhere   
To swim and hike and breathe fresh air,
And to cook and laugh around a campfire.  
There’s just not much more for a Scout to desire.
Copyright © | Year Posted 2014

Poem

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Morrison Avatar
July 11, 2014 at 9:40 PM
Excellent write...Kim!
Halliday Avatar
July 16, 2014 at 12:03 AM
Thank you. As a matter of fact, I am at a scout camp in the Sierras this week, a few hours east of San Jose Calif.
Berdoo Avatar
April 9, 2014 at 4:02 AM
WOW! you touched on some great times of my yester years as a Scout. Troop 815. Jamborees were the best! Scouts from all over would join in. The memories are endless, but at the same time, some have faded. Mark remember this one, Second Class Scout Motto~~ BE PREPARED~~ I still live by this to this day. Thanks for sharring.
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