FriendBurst Blog

These are for the CPC Friday Fling poetry challenge.  This week Michelle and I are looking for writes about camping out or summer camp memories.   Writers are also asked to use a song title or two by the folk group Peter, Paul and Mary, who once did a whole album about“singing around the campfire.”

PETER, PAUL AND MARY SONGBOOK A-E IN STORY FORM

From 24 GREEN STREET,
we drove 500 MILES
for what seemed like 75 SEPTEMBERS
before we finally reached the campground.

When we arrived, we immediately began A SOULIN,’
which got ALL GOD’S CRITTERS ALL MIXED UP,
since we were all white.

I recalled ALL MY TRIALS
ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT.
I was acquitted in every one of them
even though none were televised.
AND WHEN I DIE,
I expect you to APOLOGIZE
From AUTUMN TO MAY
like a whore of BABYLON,
for turning me in OH, SINNER MAN.

I will sing the BALLAD OF SPRING HILL,
while you have BAMBOO shoots
shoved under your finger nails
in a dark dungeon in some BEAUTIFUL CITY,
because ALL MEN ARE BROTHERS,
We had BEEN ON THE ROAD TOO LONG.
back when we were the BEST OF FRIENDS,
when you ran off with my girlfriend and my dog, BETTY & DUPREE
in my BIG BOAT, with your long, stringy hair
BLOWING IN THE WIND.

Later I heard you have been squeezed to death
in an Amozonian jungle
by a BLUE BOA CONSTRICTOR.
Then someone said no,
that was just BOB DYLAN’S DREAM.

Someone else said you were seen
outside a homelsee shelter in downtown Baltimore
asking passersby: BROTHER, CAN YOU SPARE A DIME?
BUT A MOMENT later, yet someone else
took my BY SURPRISE
by announcing that you were in CANAAN LAND,
with a character from Star Wars named Jar-Jar
who drove you around in his CAR-CAR.

I married and had twelve children.
When they were grown,
I wanted them all to go look for you.
“CHILDREN GO WHERE I SEND THEE,” I told them.
My CHILDREN, ONE AND ALL, heeded my call
after a hearty CHRISTMAS DINNER and a CIRCUS,
when I said: “COME AND GO WITH ME.”

Thus came THE COMING OF THE ROADS.
We looked everywhere,
even in the lair of the CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTOR
from THE CRUEL WAR.

Finally, at DANNY’S DOWNS,
we could say our long DAY IS DONE.
We found you, but DELIVERY DELAYED
when UPS mixed you up with another DEPORTEE,
a Chinese guy named DODI LI.

When we opened your crate,
you immediately said angrily,
“DON’T EVER TAKE AWAY MY FREEDOM!”
But then you added,
“DON’T GO DOWN TO THE QUARRY,
and DON’T LAUGH AT ME.”
I replied, “DON’T THINK TWICE, IT’S ALL RIGHT.”
and we left you DOWN BY THE RIVERSIDE
EARLY IN THE MORNING.
You caught pneumonia in the EARLY MORNIN’ RAIN,
and died while fleeing to EL SALVADOR.

Now you are gone,
and I and my ERIKA WITH THE WINDY YELLOW HAIR
smell EVERY FLOWER.

Copyright July 7th 2011 RGD