Monday, May 4, 2009

The Camping Trip

I don't publish my poetry very often. There's no good reason why, except I don't really enjoy reading most poetry, and so I assume that most people don't care for it either. I've never been the kind of person who "gets" Shakespeare. I enjoy reading some of the older poets such as Poe and Frost and the like, and I really like Eugene Field. But, for the most part, I won't go out of my way to read a good poem. That being said, I'm going to offer you one of my own. The Camping Trip was never intended to be anything other than a documentary of my son's first camping trip. But, it's a fun poem, so I hope you enjoy it. Please, there are no hidden messages within these words. I know, for me that's an accomplishment, but this is nothing short of mindless amusement.

The Camping Trip

Little Seth was one year old
He knew neither hot nor cold.
He ran around inside the camp
Whether it was dry or damp.
He ran in the grass and through the rocks
Took off his shoes and ran in his socks!

His mama chased him everywhere
Always scared she heard a bear.
But no bears were ever found
And little buddy ran around and ‘round.
He picked up sticks to eat them whole
He even put them in a bowl.

He wouldn’t ever stop to rest
Even when the sun did crest
The mountains on the eastern slope
He faced the darkness with new hope.
He hoped to count the stars above
The sleepiness away he shoved.

The threw his dog into the flame
His franks would never be the same.
His marshmallow glowed in the dark
When it finally caught a spark.
He ate it up very quickly
But his fingers still got sticky.

His mama tried to put him down
So he could sleep safe and sound.
But he had no desire
To leave his place by the fire.
But once she had him in his bed
He became a sleepy head.

17 comments:

sharilyn said...

travis...

about this poem what can i say?
your words were fun and did convey
the joy of camping for a child--
such outdoor fun and running wild!
eating sticks and marshmallows,
sticky fingers, barefoot toes...
a campfire sparking, stars in place,
a dreamy smile upon his face...
his eyes are closed; a sigh is heard...
pure joy spoken without a word.
* * * * *
thanks for sharing... :)

Warren Baldwin said...

Sounds like taking my kids camping, which I wish I had done more often.

Travis said...

Sharilyn! What a suprise response! Well done, Master.

Sometime in the next few weeks I'm going to host a poetry contest and I want you to enter. Who knows, you might just take home the prize.

Travis said...

Opps, sorry Warren. We must have crossed over in the timing!

My kids continually beg to be taken out. Seth is now 7, and he is at that golden age for really enjoying it. I'll take a lesson from your comment and be more diligent to take him out.

Billy Coffey said...

Poets humble me. How to say so much with so little? It seems impossible, but that's exactly what you did here.

That sounds like a great trip.

Warren Baldwin said...

Good idea. And it can be so simple. Sometimes the kids wanted to "camp" on the living room floor. Other times we pitched a tent in the backyard. Once when the girls were real young they wanted to sleep in the front yard right under the stars. We did. And took our big dog with us and a gun ... we lived out in the Wyoming country and had mountain lions working our area. (You can see a picture of the tree where we camped on my site. Look for "The Jenny Tree). Some of the camping was simple, but they loved it all the same.

Anne Lang Bundy said...

Does this world offer anything more grand than seeing life through the eyes of a child?

Very nice, Travis.

Travis said...

Billy- You are gonna try out and write a short verse when I host the poety contest. I think you'll do well.

Warren, I suppose it can be just that easy. Set up in the living room and have some fun. But remember to keep the Tylenol handy, right? I'm going to check out that tree...

Anne- Anyone who things magic is fake doesn't know how a child sees the world!

Sarah (aka Mrs. Travis) said...

Hey sweetie,

I love this poem...You really did capture the excitement of our little buddy on that trip. We must take the kids camping again soon.

Love you.

KM Wilsher said...

Bravo, Travis! What a great way to "return" from the great unknown :) I loved the poem. . . smiles and ahhhhhs

Hope traveling will leave you be for a while. Missed ya around here.

Took a break from studying and stopped by for a quick reading at The Blundering Discoverer!

I have some of the same thoughts about poetry. I don't read it. I will read it. Especially if I know the writer. I write it. I don't think others like to read what I write. I liked what you wrote.

This "The Campint Trip" was great, Travis :)I remember those early camping trips :)

Travis said...

Thanks, Sweetheart. It was a fun trip!

KM- I'll be home for one more week, and then I'm off again for two more weeks. Then I have a week at home, and then off again for another week or two. It seems as though every time I turn around, I'm being sent somewhere. I know this is more of an answer than you wanted, but I do want my friends to know that I haven't abandoned them; I'm just not able to focus much on blogging right now.

I'll bet your poetry is better than you give it credit. Why don't you stick around for the contest and see? I think you could hold your own.

Here's a hint of what's to come: We are going to do a contest on how the empty grave views the risen Savior...So start thinking about it now. I'll bet inspiration strikes you when you lest suspect it!

Angie said...

I could see it. To me, that's the mark of a good poet.

I've noticed you at Sharilyn's and thought I'd pay you a visit. Glad I did.

Travis said...

Angie-
Thanks so much for stopping by. I do hope to run into you again as we blog our lives away! I'll stop and say hi to you later at the sunflower.

Alison Bryant said...

Where did y'all go camping for this first trip?

Anonymous said...

They put Him in me
And suddenly He was gone
This is my haiku.

:-)

Travis said...

Alison-
Apache campground, Lincoln National Forrest, Cloudcroft, NM., site number 22. (Just kidding about the site number. It was actually 23.)

Anon,
NOT YET! The contest won't start until I get back at the end of May.
That is a great verse, so be sure to recycle it.

sharilyn said...

hey travis... thanks for the compliment! :) can't wait to see what the contest holds! as for me and poetry, we have a love/hate relationship... i have written some, only a few of which are something i think are anything anyone else would enjoy reading. but, when inspiration (or Divine intervention!) occur, it is fun! :) i am leaving the country for two weeks at the beginning of june and will be out of the cyber world, but if the contest comes up before (or after) that, i'll give it a shot! :)