enter,
go in the tent for the night
note the moon, the fading light
feel the wind, watch the trees soar
make a bed on the earth’s floor
talk, laugh until you can no more
hear the people and dogs next door
wait for the coming of the day
see the sun as dark goes away
listen as the birds awake and sing
come out into the world of spring,
emerge.
*******
This poem is also from 2011. I had a dream to go camping, to sleep in a tent. I wanted to experience all that nature offered in the hours of the night. My friend agreed to join me on this adventure. We put a tent up, gathered sleeping bags, dressed in layers (because it was cold), and sat around a little fire.
We went camping that year. Twice. In a backyard. And then I wrote this poem.
Thank you Laura for this simple but beautiful lines. I’ve read it thrice already.
You are welcome, Jenom. Thanks for commenting!
We met at Emily Hedstrom’s wedding, Laura. Libby, Emily’s mom, is my little sister. You and I talked for a short time, but not long enough – something that usually happens at events with many people circulating.
Libby sent me an email this morning with a link to your website and I spent several hours wandering through the thoughts and feelings you expressed so well in your various postings, learning much in the process.
I have been working on a book for the past four or five years, a book that advocates taking young children into wild country, as well as cultures where folks live much more simply than we do in the US. However…. your words in Emerge expressed the feelings that occur when we relate to our natural world in one short poem much better than I have done in a whole book. Thanks for your beautiful.feelings that became words!
Doug, thank you for reading, commenting, (and reminding me of your connection to Emily and Libby)! I’m intrigued by your book. I’d love to hear more / read it one day. There is such joy in being IN nature and creating adventures right out your door.
I appreciate your interest in the book, Laura. (You Took The Kids Where?? Adventuring While Your Children Are Young) Trish, my wife, reminded me at one point about a year ago that so many different experiences can occur close to home, without having to travel around the world, and then you reminded me of the same thing with the feelings that your poem evoked.