Awareness of Nature: Camping in British Columbia – To Get Away
***
Work and stress can give life a frantic feel,
The fever and fret may seem way too real,
I look up to clouds, with my breath falling,
The wind is whistling, weekend-off calling,
Rain burst slants sideways, person’s proud chest sags,
I run above ground, home to pack my bags,
It’s all been planned out – we leave right at five,
We deserve this chance, want to feel alive,
More than a robot, an ordered machine,
This free soul living, a sentient being,
So many days torn, between now and then,
When I get away, won’t get trapped again,
Slowly we pull free from the parking stall,
And we won’t look back, all we need – we haul,
We are on our way, up into the hills,
To camp in the wild, Canadian thrills,
***
Cool cascading falls, rock’s ages shaped sheer,
Trees towering tall, cradle all life here,
Down way far below, on the forest floor,
Miracles abound, a dream scene and much more,
Mossy stumps and ferns, mushrooms hide tree sprites,
Creatures crawl from logs, cold clear creek invites,
Birds sing melodies, both ancient and new,
Grace us for moments, then gone as on cue,
Stunning green playing-field, setting so divine,
True breath of fresh air, no hotel is as fine,
The carpet – softer, on this floor I stand,
This music – sweeter, than a big town band,
Colours dazzle here – more than neon lights,
More intrigue excites, in these forest nights,
My love and I here, cool kids in their tent,
Now our time is free, and the day has been spent,
***
Awake to morning, no alarm to face,
No rushing traffic, no daily rat race,
Rainbows shine in dew, on webs, twigs and grass,
Coffee brewed on flame, of the campfire blasts,
Sitting on camp chairs, no straining muscles,
No aloof boss shouts, while our team hustles,
Instead a squirrel chirps, saying that we’re here,
So we share some nuts, over lunch: pop or beer,
As the day heats up, need not sweat it out,
We head to the lake – good times are about,
Before leaving site, we first douse the fire,
We pack some food tight, guitar to inspire,
The sun follows us, a friend – not a master,
Beneath our feet: mulch, helps us hike faster,
But no rush today, no hypocrite’s whip,
We are far from that, on this camping trip,
***
Climbing through branches, brave greens bless my brow,
Beyond that – sparks gold, lake shining bright now,
Clear to the bottom, aqua shades in glass,
Sand-shores diving deep, mountains sink far past,
Glaciers chiseled time, eons made this place,
This instant is pure, as today keeps pace,
Trees border the lake, hot sun gives this life,
Still: clouds, moon, and stars, fetch glory from strife,
In this fine daytime, greatness comes from love,
All part of nature, some comes from above,
The robin-egg blue, or black with white light,
The feeling we have, can come day or night,
Cool, smooth and flowing, not out on a limb,
We splash down today, get in for a swim,
Floating, paddling, immersed in a dream,
Carried back to camp, by the last sun beam,
***
Final night we pack by crackling fire,
Telling tall stories, as flames twist higher,
An owl reminds us, we are not alone,
Within these late moments, we’ll never go home,
Impression that lasts, we laugh, feast and drink,
Echoing voices, in nature we think,
The crickets and frogs, seem to always know,
Just when we arrive, and when we will go,
Join with their wisdom, their sound mixed with ours,
To keep it simple, here under the stars,
Aware of presence, with no lasting stress,
Just singing again, true needs and no less,
But really we too, feel complex footsteps,
Out in the forest, this reflex is kept,
Sacred harmony, so surely time tells,
True tests of nature, there is nothing else
By Mike Scott 09/15
Once more. I wrote this about twenty years ago. It is about the struggle with art and mood. The relevance here is that I am working hard to find ways to improve people’s quality of life. This is the main reason why I started this blog. So far it’s been fun, anxious, and sometimes harsh! I am working on revising a few ideas. Good times!
