Reflection

The sky was clear that autumn day
A dried out pile of brush
Had needed burning for quite some time
But there'd never been a rush

Let's go outside, I said to Spud
And burn that old brush heap
We'll take some coffee with us
‘Cause I'm sure we'll need a break

We were leaning up against a tree
Little Spud and me
When I noticed nuts there on the ground
That had fell from the hickory tree

I wish we had a hammer, Spud
I'd show you something good
I'll get it grandpa, he replied
And off to the house he ran

When he got back we looked around
And found a large flat stone
And placed it there beside our tree
Near the rocks we were sitting on

I placed a nut atop the stone
And with the hammer, whacked it
As Spud looked on, it split in two
And I showed him the meat inside it

I opened up my pocketknife
And picked the sweet meat out
Spud liked the taste a lot, he said
Good thing there was more about

We sat there while the brush heap burned
We whacked, and picked and drank
Till the coffee was gone, the fire was out
And Spud was in need of a nap

I believe that I will never forget
That wonderful autumn day
When Spud and I burned a big brush pile
And took a coffee and hickory nut break

Copyright: CR. Clark; March 2004

My Granddads Porch

My Granddads porch was awesome
Though really quite austere
A place where neighbors sat and talked
Most any time of year
A place that's in my memory
From a better time, I'm sure
I don't recall great happenings
But I always felt secure
We'd sit there in the morning
Watch the cars and trucks go by
And every neighbor, as they passed
Would throw their hand up high
After supper in the evening
To the porch we would retire
And watch a brilliant sunset
Form a watercolor sky
The tree frogs and the crickets
Would croon their soothing trill
But my favorite sound of evening
Was the call of the whippoorwill
We'd go to bed quite early
I'd sleep soundly through the night
And wake to the aroma
Of breakfast cooking at sunrise
As I think back upon this time
I often mellow out
And wonder why it takes so long
To learn what really counts
I would truly love to go back
And relive this one more time
But the only way I've found, that works
Is to live it in my mind

In simpler times, before the birth
Of Play Station, Nintendo, and Wii
Before Microsoft or the internet
When TV was just for the wealthy few
As children, playing near the creek
We could while the hours away
With two empty pork and bean cans
And a puddle, teeming with polliwogs
And we were truly entertained

Hang Gliding