Greenwood Hills
(inspired by Carl Sandburg’s “Chicago”)
by Tabitha Moses
Green pine trees,
Rolling hills, Familiar faces,
Relaxed parents and Unsupervised kids;
Noisy, woodsy, strolling,
Camp of Pineapple:
They tell me you are friendly and I believe them, for I
have seen your hand create long
lasting friendships.
And they tell me you are bad at cooking and I answer:
Yes, it is true I have seen masses
of frozen food being defrosted all
at once.
And they tell me you harbor the young and the young at heart,
and my reply is: On the faces of
elders and children I have seen the
stamp of happiness.
And having answered so I turn once more to those who question
this camp, and I give them back the question and say to
them:
Come and show me another camp with shining face smiling so ready
to be helpful and welcoming and renewing and never-ending.
Flinging continuous prayers amid the busy day, here is a group of people
set to band together against the temptations of the world.
Willful as a small boat in a storm, loving as a close-knit family,
Observing,
Praying,
Planning,
Acting,
Affecting, modifying, re-trying,
Under the trees, mirth in his eyes, laughing with crooked teeth,
Under the burden of everyday life laughing as a young boy laughs,
Laughing even as a child laughs when they’re tickled by their mother,
Giggling and laughing that under his wrist is a pulse, and under his ribs the
heart of camp,
Laughing!
Laughing the noisy, woodsy, strolling laughter of the Forest, leaves, falling and
in the heart, Green pine trees, rolling hills, familiar faces, relaxed parents,
and unsupervised kids.
(inspired by Carl Sandburg’s “Chicago”)
by Tabitha Moses
Green pine trees,
Rolling hills, Familiar faces,
Relaxed parents and Unsupervised kids;
Noisy, woodsy, strolling,
Camp of Pineapple:
They tell me you are friendly and I believe them, for I
have seen your hand create long
lasting friendships.
And they tell me you are bad at cooking and I answer:
Yes, it is true I have seen masses
of frozen food being defrosted all
at once.
And they tell me you harbor the young and the young at heart,
and my reply is: On the faces of
elders and children I have seen the
stamp of happiness.
And having answered so I turn once more to those who question
this camp, and I give them back the question and say to
them:
Come and show me another camp with shining face smiling so ready
to be helpful and welcoming and renewing and never-ending.
Flinging continuous prayers amid the busy day, here is a group of people
set to band together against the temptations of the world.
Willful as a small boat in a storm, loving as a close-knit family,
Observing,
Praying,
Planning,
Acting,
Affecting, modifying, re-trying,
Under the trees, mirth in his eyes, laughing with crooked teeth,
Under the burden of everyday life laughing as a young boy laughs,
Laughing even as a child laughs when they’re tickled by their mother,
Giggling and laughing that under his wrist is a pulse, and under his ribs the
heart of camp,
Laughing!
Laughing the noisy, woodsy, strolling laughter of the Forest, leaves, falling and
in the heart, Green pine trees, rolling hills, familiar faces, relaxed parents,
and unsupervised kids.