Church Camp

Trying to come up with something for my Creative Writing class, a stab at trying to convey in poetry form some of what SGYC means to me. (Running at roughly 25-30,000 words on the subject at my personal blog for now.)

"Some have threatened to kidnap me if I didn’t show up

Many others then volunteered to help.

Northeast of Springfield

Couple miles off the highway, down the dirt

You asked me to talk; so here I go

For quite a while this topic can spurt…

Reel the set, no spikes allowed

Ultimate Frisbee, Red scored a touchdown

Single eked out on a softball error

Petrified scared-rabbit new-kid terror.

Want to pet the buffalo? Well, TOO BAD, you’d best forget it,

Don’t approach ‘em, you’ll regret it…

Extended family from eight states gathers

Hymns and praise sail up through the rafters

Counselor’s meeting in the misty dawn

From candy stampedes lifelong memories spawn

A hundred miles down the river-gravel trail

Cinnamon rolls mean it’s time to unwillingly bail

Talent share part of how names are made

There was so much more to the games we played

Growing in faith with preachers and dear friends

Glimpse of heaven – the real thing comes once this one ends

Legends pass down from sibling to sibling,

“In Christ Alone”, country, “Call Me Maybe”, songs you hear singing

Puppet shows, ping pong and photography,

Mid 90’s with high humidity

I’ll stop now, it’s a partial list,

Of all the blessed and trying times, faces which are missed

Sixty to ninety players in the human drama, fringed with bison and cats,

What did/does it mean to me? Not enough words to express that…."