In Early Dawn

I wrote this after going on a camping trip with my grandson's sixth grade class to a campground just outside of Yosemite National park. I started writing it at coffee, before breakfast and carried my notebook the rest of the day to jot down verses. The poem was in a drawer all these years (the grandson is now 25 years old). I forgot about it completely.

In Early Dawn


In early dawn my coffee cup,
before I wake young campers up...
enjoy the calm and silent camp...
the morning.

The morning senses, breakfast bells
with syrup tastes and sausage smells...
the clothes are clean the hair is damp
they're hungry.

they're hungry for the learning too
a meadow green and forest view...
a question and a sixth grade hunch
cathedrals.

Cathedrals in the puzzle pines
the students in their cabin lines..
a peanut butter brown-bag lunch
the Miwoc.

The Miwoc with their tribal tales
a child has died a marraige fails
eternal sadness, granite face.
Tanaya

Tanaya creek and mirror lake
or meadow? Is it some mistake
or mother nature's saving grace?
It's evening.

It's evening filled with campfire games
the skits with all the teacher's names
a snack and are they sleeping yet"?
and later.

And later with a refilled cup
I drink the friendly coffee up
they're still awake I'd safely bet
but peaceful.

But peaceful is a moonlight stroll
to comtemplate my latest role
at dawn I'll start another day...
tomorrow.

Tomorrow comes and children go
I was a help. How do I know?
the smiles show me my just reward...
In early dawn.

Perhaps Perchance

A pod of pelicans paused in a lake…

perhaps perchance a colony?

Primping their feathers they dared then to take

an overnight flight to Tuolumne

A gaggle of Geese in Lamia Greece
gave way to a cover of coots.
while a cauldron of bats were keeping the peace...
with a chowder of Cats in cahoots.