105 Ways to Give a Book

Poetry Friday: Girl Scout Camp Haiku

After I got back from the Kidlitosphere Conference at 6:00 a.m. on Monday morning, and after a full week of work, blogging, and activities, I got to go to Girl Scout Camp. Oh joy.

Now I like nature, but mostly as viewed through a screened window — as God intended it.1 However, I make sure our troop goes camping because I believe that we should all stretch our comfort zones.

The first word I heard about the camp was not promising, but the trip was a wonderful experience. We kept a laid-back approach and gave the girls freedom to explore and fall — literally, in the actual creek water. Here’s our weekend in a series of haiku. (Oh, Anastasia’s got today’s Poetry Friday round-up.)
Mice? In the cabins?
You have to be kidding me.
Should have picked the tents.

Finally let loose.
teens buck sophistication
to play on the rocks.

Into our silence
the creek babbles, birds chatter
the forest leaves speak.

Taking off our shoes
The cold water feels so good
On our tired feet.

Nine middle-school girls
and three leaders in one room.
Sleep proves elusive.

Morning hike reward
a sun-dappled waterfall
Complete enchantment.
  1. I’m kidding. Actually, I love being outdoors, but I’m not particularly outdoorsy — if you know what I mean. 

9 comments:

tanita✿davis said...

Man: again I find that I want to be in your Troop. How FUN. I miss camping; all this Scottish countryside, and we brought our tent, and we got WEIRD looks when we asked if people camped. Apparently there are "midgies" (midges, I assume? Mosquitoes? Who knows.) the size of mini-vans who carry you away.

Anonymous said...

Ha, your haikus bring back memories. I remember my GS troop's first camp-out-- that cabin with twenty-some third graders, three leaders, and one tiny mouse that sent my mom leaping onto another leader's lap with a shriek. Somehow Mom braved another nine years of camp-outs, though.

Yat-Yee said...

The beginning of your haiku made me chuckle, and the end made me all ...ahhh...

Andromeda Jazmon said...

Great way to record your weekend. I like the one of the girls and leaders in the cabin best. I can just hear the noise!

shelburns said...

This brought back memories of my Girl Scout days...hobo burgers in the fire pit, mudslides, what fun! Great poems!

Mary Lee said...

Trust nature and camping to turn teenage girls back into children!

BookMoot said...

Lovely haiku! You caught the essence of GS Camp perfectly both from the kids' and leaders' point of view.

Anonymous said...

But of course a reader like you would be a writer -- I mean beyond the well-chosen words of your incredible blog! Somehow I pictured you as being out-doorsy. I bet you just didn't get enough opportunity for it as a kid. Good for you for hanging in there and being the good-mom-at-camp. Loved it.

Anonymous said...

Oh this took me back to two times" as a child with mom going along to be the "nurse on duty" for the campout and when I took my own daughter-another pmom had baby mice born in her sleeping bag (on Mohter's Day) Thank you for stirring the memory pot.