Typist: Bethany
Ode To My Fallen Traveling Friend When I first set you up in 2009 I had to look up the directions online. In an Oregon Country Fair field with little reception I slowly found your set up instruction. 'Twas at that Fair you were aptly named "The Palace," The luxurious tent that mirrored my ballast. Through Burning Man pilgrimages and road trips galore Setting you up was never a chore. I could single handedly erect you in minutes Squelching ideas of solo traveler limits. You were shelter for friends, family, five pets and I Keeping us all safe, cool, warm and dry. I was proud to grease your zippers and patch your holes, That maintenance meant we'd met more traveling goals. Thank you for your service my beloved tent I was devastated when your poles were bent In that Lake Mead wind storm your demise began But last weekends broken door zipper was fate's last hand. That and the rain you at last allowed in. You had served so well up until then Can you believe we camped at the Grand Canyon? And in New York? What a great companion! To the sound of Taps I marched to the trash your remains Oh the memories of travel with you my heart contains Thank you so much for being there my tent friend I will miss you and remember you until my traveling end. |
Please forgive the roughness (otherwise known as bad) about this poem. This ode was written in retrospective tears upon returning home from my last camping trip. The first trip I have taken in over seven years from which "The Palace" did not return with me. I considered revising this poem to make it more of a formula ode but decided to publish it in it's raw, exhausted from the camping trip, weary with memories, form.
Share this post:
12 Comments
8/4/2015 12:10:15 am
I am so glad it was your tent and not one of your pets! I was worried there for a minute. Yep, I've felt that way about an object before! It sucks but thankfully they are replaceable!
Reply
Bethany
8/14/2015 03:49:22 am
The memories can't be replaced but the tent itself is truly replaceable as I can still purchase the exact same model... but it has had problems since the beginning so I am shopping for something new!
Reply
Bethany
8/14/2015 03:50:18 am
Thanks Lisa! Apparently, poems I write in the middle of the night on my back in tears are the best ones.
Reply
8/4/2015 05:24:09 am
I am sorry about your tent, but relieved that your pets are all good. I do understand your loss being that you made so many memories in it- kind of like getting rid of a car.
Reply
Bethany
8/14/2015 03:52:51 am
Yes, Ellen, getting rid of an old car is what it is like! Funny you should bring that up because the long journeys this tent and I took together were in rental cars and I got a little sentimental when having to return those cars that I lived out of for a month. I guess I am just inanimate object sentimental.
Reply
I remember the one time we went camping hubby comes from office area saying that people saw a baby bear at the beach and if I wanted to go see it. So we took the dogs and went to look. Didn't see nothing. But came back to a ripped up tent. Somebody was looking for us while we were looking for them. LOL
Reply
Bethany
8/14/2015 03:54:26 am
What a sneaky (and very smart) bear. A wildlife blow would be a less sad end to a tents life but a terrible end to a camping trip!
Reply
Bethany
8/14/2015 03:56:18 am
While I appreciate your comment it is far from comforting... If I had thought about the whole relearning the set up thing, I may have brought my Palace home and gotten new poles and a new zipper and a new rain cover! Ugh, I don't want to learn how to put up a new tent! Wah!
Reply
8/8/2015 12:25:11 am
So sad. Try to focus on the good times. :). I lost three suitcases after our last two vacations. One because the cruise ship workers throw them like bags of garbage.
Reply
Bethany
8/14/2015 03:57:59 am
Maybe I need to go on a cruise so a few of my mostly broken down bags can take a final blow... I have a few I have been clinging too for far too long! I am sorry about your suitcase loss; replacing those is as expensive and as tedious of shopping as finding the perfect tent!
Reply
Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. |
Cascadian Nomads
|