An ominous trail
in their dark ashes—
each ellipsis
hid a treacherous bend.
I feel the camper’s
hollow rattle
between cracked ribs
that won’t quite mend.
Not their youth,
but mine—
still burning
in oil-smoke haze
too thick to see.
Torn nights
of endless yearning—
a senseless chase
I couldn’t face,
and wouldn’t flee.
Would the dust
of reckless trysts
still stir—
and burn again?
Would my reading
turn to riding
that soulless path,
the camper’s sin?
The snare of wishing
for what’s long missing—
new campgrounds,
starlit nights...
But on that road,
the rain keeps falling—
and all that’s left
are rusted rites.
- An echo to a friend's "Road Trip"
Categories:
campgrounds, hurt, inspirational, loneliness, lost
Form: Lyric
Once upon a time, it was a good day to be camping with the friends,
We stroll into the campgrounds, put the logs into the firepit,
Light the fire in the fire pit, get out our marshmallows,
We sit on the makeshift benches, we have the ingredients,
To make our Mountain Dew glow in the dark,
We exchange ghost stories as we roast our marshmallows,
We hold our soul mates hands, as we sip our sodas,
Some of our soul mates jump, startled by,
Mike’s ghost story as he performs with his body language,
the mysterious ghost of Darkwood cemetery,
our soul mates suddenly jumps,
a shooting star passes over as we gaze at the stars,
brightly shining, we wish upon the star,
as we gaze into each other’s eyes and wish upon the star,
that, we be soul mates forever,
Oh, yeah, it was a good day to be camping with the friends.
Categories:
campgrounds, appreciation, best friend, care,
Form: Free verse
I was loss in the vast wilderness
Trying to find my way
Here I am
Had no idea how I even got loss
I saw something and wanted to investigate
I guess that would be source of why I am in this situation
I wondered into the woods
I am where I stand
The sunset is taking effect and slowly going down
Darkness came quickly
I knew I was in the wrong direction
I worried and cried
I am giving anything a try
How would I find my way
I am so far into the woods and off the trail estray
I glanced at the Moon
It was as if the Moon was guiding me through the woods
The Moon showed me my own reelection
That was the right direction
Every step I made I felt caution
I wasn’t even thinking about being rescued
I knew I had to get back to the trail and onto the campgrounds where I was
Praying in between seemed to help
I knew I wasn’t alone
I saw a light in the distance, and it was the trail leading to the camp
Suddenly, I was back at camp and there were search parties looking for me
However, I arrived back safely and was welcomed back by my friends
The Moon’s wisdom and Heaven’s timing made everything alright.
Categories:
campgrounds, adventure, blessing, care, cry,
Form: Free verse
Tempering colors of magnetic reds and browns
September, you sure know how to make me turn around
enclosing me in comforting space warm as a fireplace
you make me long for firewood and campgrounds
Maple trees of yellow and honey wood leaves
you make me want to trade my frosty lips for a cinnamon kiss
down in the meadows, the woods are whispering
saying their goodbyes to La Fleurs De Lis
Linden wood dreams beneath a golden Autumn
the cedar gum and the cedar oils are healing balms of choice
aiming for the hills on a cool September eve
suddenly I feel like I have found my voice;
I love you September more then words can say
I think I'm going to go jump in the leaves,
one more time, before my last hurray !
Example for my contest
September 11, 2021
Categories:
campgrounds, appreciation, autumn,
Form: Free verse
River’s Arising
By Michelle Waters
River’s arising. Danger’s on hand.
Gather up your kinfolk and get to high land.
The campgrounds are empty, RVs are all gone
Tourists packed up their bags and headed back home.
The storm clouds retreated for less than a day.
For on the horizon, they’re making headway.
Torrents of water and mud surge down from the ridges,
Wash out the gullys, and ravage the ditches.
The creeks are all swollen; their banks have been breached.
Winds tear through the trees, wild and unleashed.
Muck and debris cover roads and driveways.
Surplus of water sweeps cars off highways.
Weatherman's warnings- often unheeded
In times like these, good sense is needed.
Destruction continues, flood water advances.
The wise take refuge, the foolish take chances.
Those who live in the valleys will stay to repent.
Once the floodgates cut loose, there’ll be no defense.
River’s arising. Danger’s on hand.
Gather up your kinfolk and get to high land.
Categories:
campgrounds, environment, heartbreak, home, leaving,
Form: Rhyme
I am from
I am from my mom’s jean jacket with leather lining, from levi’s and converse.
I am from the cracked blue painted walls and worn down white windows.
I am from the white calla lilies, the roses.
I am from yearly trips to Laguna Beach and stubbornness, from Patty and Camille and Marcus.
I am from the procrastination and determination.
From “clean up your damn room” and “take out the trash”.
I am from pseudo Hanukkah. From matzo ball soup, latkes, and no religious aspects.
I’m from Santa Ana and Europe, quesadillas and pizza.
From the two different families.
I am from Natural Bridges State Beach, Russian River Campgrounds, and Foothills Park.
Categories:
campgrounds, family, love,
Form: Free verse
A Single Tree
Steve L. Siegel
August, 2015
-:-
Up on the upper Hoh River there is a trail
Only two and haft miles long, at end of trail is a tree
Were it has turned into a cross all by Gods own hands
People have been coming up there for years to see.
-:-
There is no pastor up here
Only a log beam made into a bench
Where people come pray or meditate
Some getting closer to God within the tree’s reach.
Myself it was time for self-reflections
I knew that for me it was time to grow
Where I learned that a little rain must fall
Some-times for Jesus, so that I can learn to be the show.
-:-
I sure don’t know why this tree grew this way
By the laws nature it should not have
Nothing has ever hurt this tree
No fire or lighting has ever have.
-:-
I do truly believe that this tree
Has seen more people turn their lives around
Then any church or pastor on any Sunday
Maybe, that’s why God put this tree in this piece of ground.
-:-
Author’s Notes
This tree is for real it is a big spruce somehow instead going straight up
It has two branches that forms a cross.
It at Olympic Nat, Park, Hol campgrounds
Categories:
campgrounds, christian, faith, god, nature,
Form: Rhyme
To start the day I put on my hat,
To my surprise out flew a gnat.
I was startled by this creature with the smallest of wings,
So much that I dropped every bit of my things.
If it was a wasp and I was stang,
The highest musical note would have been sang.
As you can see if you look at my shin
My pain tolerance level is far from thin.
As I walk past this huge dog with this lethal tail he wags,
A baseball couldn’t measure up to the size of this dog’s tags.
If he bites me, which I hope he does not,
For I have not yet gotten a rabies shot.
It looked straight at me and I began feeling hot,
This feeling is explained by how nervous I got.
And as I headed towards the stadium hoping tonight for the win,
Snowflakes started falling, not one had a twin.
The fires in the distant campgrounds were quickly turned to ash,
This poem ends as I stepped onto the field’s marked hash.
Categories:
campgrounds, animals, fear, seasons, sports,
Form: Rhyme