We set off for a long weekend,
Does this Carmageddon ever end?
Eventually, we arrive,
That was a long hot drive!
See our tent as it collapses!
"He" does bust all  his synapses!
I unpack, rain commences,
"Let's go home!" he mentions,
Yeah, right, now the dog wants loo,
Did I bring a coat and gumboots too?
Armed escort of mosquitoes,
Forgot insect repellent, oh Woe!
Never mind, not long to go,
Finally made it all the way home,
A weekend of staring at the rain,
Last word to him I say,
"I am never going camping again!"
(And no more I did)... from my brain,
The poet in someone's heart,
From indoor ablutions, I'll never part.........

Gather wood and stack it up in a pile
it will be a roaring blaze in a little while
stack small twigs first into a cone
make sure they are dry as a bone

Some lighter fluid and a match
if you did it right it will catch
fuel ignites with a whoosh
similar sound as a basketball swoosh

Add bigger pieces and logs
be careful not to bog
it down and choke off the air
building a fire takes great care

Until it is a roiling pyre
otherwise known as a campfire
ready for Weiners to roast
or maybe some s'mores to toast

Or just to sit around with whiskey in hand
on the radio your favorite band
sit in your chair and stare at the flames
lots of shapes in and around the fire frames

From the flames themselves to shadows cast
just like life it burns up fast
must keep feeding it to keep it alive
you swear its alive and trying to thrive

Thrive it must to keep you warm
shield you from the winter storm
fire is a tool much like a gun
my son thinks playing in it sure is fun

Burning branches and its hot as hell
red hot T-post bent into an L
now we use it as a rake
to pile up coals so we bake

In the heat until goodnight
to the tent we use its light

Who cares if I can't tell whether it's you or the view
that makes me want to say out loud
just how beautiful this is to me?

Whether not by either of our choices
both our lives through every trip, turn,
and half hearted heartache burned
have both amounted to you, this view,
and I, losing grip of words
try to pry a peek at something which
I never thought I'd see a glimpse of.

Please,
let me burn this last candle
if it means I get to see one more single
flicker
of your quicker smile.

I fall asleep -
Curled up small above the cab of the camper -
My eyes drawn to the pools of night in your face below -
My hand hanging down so my fingers brush your forehead -
I stare, for as long as my eyes will stay open -
Below me -
The face of my forever.

I miss the bright blue hair that doesn't stand out.
I miss the croaky voices when we all decided to shout.
I miss the midnight raves in all of their madness.
I miss the people being free and just pure happiness.
I miss just the people and how amazing they are.
I miss the walk to the village 'cause we're all too young to drive a car.
I miss the henna on my arms which instantly washed away.
I miss the pride march and queer disco all of which were pretty ******* gay.
I miss the ****** baloons 'cause why the **** not.
I miss the one ******* girl who I didn't tell was hot.
I miss the political jokes and the question time Q&A.;
I miss the jokes about consent and the woodcraft way.
I miss the workshops on politics, on science, on the war (against fracking).
I miss everything including the café and folk suply store.

Acquainted with the forest,
Dirt between my toes,
Earth exhales a whisper,
I am finally close
Enough to listen.