camping
misstree the first time i ever remember seeing the milky way

porcupine "mountains", northern wisconsin i think

looked up, and saw so many stars
and saw brighter grey smear,
like someone had spilled luminescent cloud
and i looked at it, trying to decipher this
unfamiliar formation, gazing at the places
it caressed the horizon,
contemplating what this gauzy celestial ribbon might be

and it came to me

that this was the thing i had seen in planetariums,
this was me looking out from a wide angle shot
in a science book,
this was the set of stars that caressed the ancients
and drew their eyes up
once day's hard gaze had gone.

the life i find on camping forays
offers such simple, vital sustenance.
030910
...
paste! from the sidewalk, the el masterocone drips upwards into your inverted bowl. the trees are in full support. you slurp, glistening jaws are autopiloting. when you walk away, the trees build your life into a grapevine's revenge, castling you for many years. 040506
...
athsara fire fire food fire
non-lethal games
green aire
060228
...
pete will you come camping with me? i promise we'll pick a weekend it won't rain and there won't be racoons in your food this time! 060228
...
hsg "have fun inside."

--"what's that supposed to mean?"

"nothing. just have fun inside."
070221
...
hsg Squidward: Ho-ho, that would be great! [he jumps into bed] You've waited a long time for this! A soft bed, warm tea, a good book, and two whole days with no... [he laughs just like Spongebob and imitates his goofy, big-eyed face, but then he hears Sponge's real laugh outside] What the...? [he goes outside to find Sponge and Pat in a tent, complete with sleeping bags and books. The two are laughing] Spongebob! Aren't you two supposed to be camping?
Spongebob: We are camping.
Squidward: Spongebob, it's not camping if you're ten feet from your house. [zoom out to show the tent's location]
Spongebob: Aww, it doesn't matter where you are as long as you're outdoors. While all those soft city folk are safe in their beds reading books, we're out here, pitting ourselves against the formidable forces of nature. You wanna join us?
Squidward: No.
Spongebob: OK. Have fun inside. [Squid leaves. Sponge and Pat pull their book back out, along with a flashlight, and begin to read and giggle. Then, Squid pops back in the tent, glaring]
Squidward: What do you mean, "have fun inside"?
Spongebob: Just... have fun inside! See you tomorrow.
Squidward: Oh. Bye. [he leaves. Sponge and Pat resume reading, but Squid enters the tent again and gasps] You little sneak! I see what you're doing!
Spongebob: What?
Squidward: Don't think I can't see what you're doing!
Spongebob: What?
Squidward: You're saying I can't take it!
Spongebob: But all I... [Squid holds up a tentacle]
Squidward: Aah. You're saying I'm soft! You think your little "have fun inside" challenge is gonna make me come camping with you, but that is never gonna happen! There's no way I'm gonna sit out here all night with you two losers! So, get used to it! [he leaves the tent]
Spongebob: OK. Have fun inside. [Squid pokes his head back inside the tent, blowing Sponge and Pat back with his loud voice]
Squidward: That's it! I'm in! I'll show you camping! [he runs into his house]
070221
what's it to you?
who go
blather
from