Leslie’s Camping Fiasco Meets The Monday Poems

If you were here last Friday, I dedicated my post to camping and reviewed the book, A Camping Spree With Mr. Magee by Chris Van Dusen. As promised, I challenged myself to write a poem about camping, specifically MY camping experiences. Or, as I like to call them Camping fiascos #1, #2, and #3.

For my inspiration, I turned to the well-known Christmas story/poem, A Visit From Saint Nicholas, better known as Twas the Night Before Christmas.

Photo by Brett Sayles on Pexels.com

LESLIE’S CAMPING FIASCO

Twas the night of the campout when all through the wood,

every creature was stirring as loud as they could.

While I gathered some logs and a pile of dry sticks,

a crack, somewhat near, had my eyes playing tricks.

I spotted a bear that, no doubt, wanted honey.

But when I looked twice, it was just a large bunny.

I built a fine fire and toasted a treat–

a marshmallow snack that burned up in the heat.

The air hung quite heavy with smells of sweet pine,

while insects swarmed near in a targeted line.

They dove at me fast! It was all I could do…

to keep them away—I tugged off my left shoe.

I ticked off the bugs as I flailed quite a lot.

With a stinger, yards long, one injected a shot!

Into my tent, I flew in a hurry,

zipped up the flap with an itch and a worry.

What if at night, late, at quarter to three,

I had to crawl out there in order to pee!

Could this trip get much worse? I did not want to know.

I was leaving tomorrow at the first morning’s glow.

The chirp of the crickets sure drove me insane.

But worse still, by far, was the torrential rain!

When the tent sagged with water, you guessed it, I freaked!

Not ten seconds later, plip-plop, how it leaked!

“I’m leaving right now!” I started to vent.

If the bears need a change, they can snooze in this tent.

by Leslie Leibhardt Goodman

 

Thoughts, comments, and camping memories (good, crazy, funny, or otherwise) are always welcomed in the comments.

See you next Friday.

Leslie