Strawberry Moon

true story from my youth . . .

That was my tempestuous summer, I suppose
languid strawberry moon rose so late in June
sprang upon my rustic birthday trek early
bopping a tentative trail from Escondido camp
sharply down, down, rocky slipping and sliding
deep dive into a thin slit cleaving tall ridges
headwaters nestle, hidden, a voyage begins
remote river squeezes out its effervescence
barely-there splash trickles toward icy pools
cross a crumbling limb with a frog serenade
sea breeze skittish-tickles oaks, moss-draped
sniff a trace of frolicking fins beyond the ridge
nearby coastal stew burbles with kelp and otters
cooling a sweaty brow when path goes up, up, up
switchbacks seriously sucking the ole canteen
finally a sudden crest over a moonscape saddle
buttercups splash endless yellow greetings
smooth-gritty sandstone outcrop juts the sky
scrambling upon the sun’s warmth locked in rock
zenith pays a bonus . . . artesian pool burbles
blue-black waters reach the unfathomable
flowing nowhere, wrapped in sun-bright stone
self-contained enclave of unexpected freshness
beckoning a naked leap into the unknown
and of course I oblige and glide and glide
a bubbly downward swish into silent serenity
afterwards sunning alongside drowsy lizards
flirty flitting dragonflies doing pebble dances
that was the first time I deeply fell
and ever since entranced
by this wilderness
where I now live.

Author's Note

Photo: I live 2 miles from this river, but these headwaters are a dozen miles back into the wilderness from where I live.

Reviews

[jacob erin-cilberto]

nothing like a good skinny dip...
even though when i was kind in Vermont we didn't actually skinny dip there....we swam in the Mad River...
it was so cold, so refreshing...
but aye...have done the above enough...nothing like water hitting the skin everywhere.
which reminds me of that fleetwood mac song "Everywhere"
imagine if we could live in Eden? if old Adam and Eve hadn't gotten kicked out of the pool?
we'd be singing, dancing and swimming in the moonlight...in our original wardrobe...nothing.
j.

[barleygirl]

I feel honored that my poem sent you to all those places & that you took me with you! *smile* Even tho I can't get back to any secret pools, I still feel like I'm living in Eden! (((HUGS))) Fondly, Margie

[Betty Hermelee]

I love your amazingly descriptive words of nature! You certainly,y capture the warmth, the creatures ,the pace of the river and so much More. As always, love your writing! Great!

[barleygirl]

You've really touched my heart with your enthusiastic response! I've lived in the wilderness for ten years & my passion just keeps getting stronger! (((HUGS))) Fondly, Margie

[Betty Hermelee]

Don't let it weaken!!! your writing is too great!!!

[Lorry]

Slipping, sliding, deep dives into thin slit? Squeezing out its effervescence? Enclaves of unexpected freshness? Reaching the unfathomable??? &?
You know, I've just realised I've bern doing this hiking stuff wrong all these years Margie. Well, apart from that time in february i climbed a scandinavian mound and heard what a Swede says when she's really pleased to see ya 😀
Such exotic place names. Escondido. We have to put up with such non exotic places such as drumnadrochit and DULL.
No wonder theres a twinkle in your eye 😀

[barleygirl]

I've always loved the name "Escondido" (which is really the camp at the trailhead of this wilderness hike) . . . it means "hidden" in Spanish (lots of Spanish in these parts becuz of the original settlers coming up from Mexico) . . . Escondido (hidden) is the trailhead for going to LOST VALLEY (of all places!) That's where this hike ended up . . . LOST in Lost Valley! *wink! winK!* I don't know why I find nature so sexy. Must be a perversion of mine (((HUGS))) Fondly, Margie

[Lorry]

Just as long as they dont get hold of your Escondido stash, that would be awful. 😀

[gram linski]

sounds idyllic, no wonder you moved there some great poetic lines au natural, nothing like lying naked by river banks to tickle yer soul, liked the break away style, good poem, Margie,

[barleygirl]

Thank you for appreciating this long-time favorite memory of a dip one backpacking trip (((HUGS))) Fondly, Margie

[Lydia Shutter]

The imagery in this one is spectacular. There is something so sensual about skinny dipping...whether solo or with a partner. The water wraps a person in velvet arms. The scene comes alive with your words...love the alliteration too. You truly are a lover of nature and that comes through in every poem you write. Lydi**

[barleygirl]

Thanks so much for an eloquent response to one of my favorite memories of hiking around here! (((HUGS))) Fondly, Margie

[Dave]

Margie - this sounds like a beautiful, wondrous place to be and visit. You make everything come alive with your words. I can easily picture all of it, I can almost feel the icy cold water as you leap into the water. What a sweet way to end your trek through the forest.
Take care - Dave

[barleygirl]

I do have to correct you on one thing . . . we don't really have forests here. It's chaparrel . . . mostly brush dotted with the occasional oak tree or sycamore! Thank you for a great response to my frolic! (((HUGS))) Fondly, Margie

[Dave]

Oh, oh - trek through the chaparrel. You make me want to frolic with you. Take care - Dave

[Fay Slimm]

Your dancing words splash over the senses and douse the heart with thrilling adventure that though never tried in those exotic places makes me fancy a tango with tangles round the Cornish cliffs here. A delight of a read and muchly admired for its guts and gusto........... ten out of ten and more from this poet's pen dear Margie.

[barleygirl]

I love the feeling of enthusiasm in what you've written! Such a treat to get a response like this! (((HUGS))) Fondly, Margie

[Robert Trakofler]

I think you are the wilderness in so many ways... I think your soul lingers in these places and the spaces tween them and you are never all that far. When I witness these journeys I wish to be next to you and feel the cascades along side. These writings have a way of entrancing. Your purring voice just gets stronger by the write Margie this is just as beautiful as you

[barleygirl]

That settles it. I need to share more about my life's adventures on this level. You've shown me that I've been hoarding this gold & not really appreciating its shine! Thanks for a great review & encouragement! (((HUGS))) Fondly, Margie

[emmajoy]

Your writing is extraordinary.. and of course i understand much of the words, just can't express the fellings and experiences in such a glorious way! You look at the world, your corner of it in such a colourful, honest way.. i believe every moment of it, share the sights and sounds.. and the feeling on water on bare skin... except here, it's been in the sea, late Summer nights. Would you believe, not thie year, first time for six years!

Having read again: have decided that you've made an art-form out of structure here.. and you've added your fine sense of meter. And no, I don't have green eyes!

' .. buttercups splash endless yellow greetings
smooth-gritty sandstone outcrop juts the sky
scrambling upon the sun’s warmth locked in rock
zenith pays a bonus . . . artesian pool burbles
blue-black waters reach the unfathomable
flowing nowhere
scrambling upon the sun’s warmth locked in rock
zenith pays a bonus . . . artesian pool burbles
blue-black waters reach the unfathomable
flowing nowhere.. '

I could feast on those words and all contained within them, for ever and ever .. and ever, Please. xxr

[barleygirl]

Over the Halloween season, I actually got tired of writing silly rhyming stuff, so now I'm trying to get more serious in my writing. It's pretty amazing how much more intensely this writing reaches people . . . I guess I need to do it more often! Thanks for a review like a fresh soak in a wild pool of enthusiasm! (((HUGS))) Fondly, Margie

[emmajoy]

However and whatever you write, dear Margie, it displays your imaginative view of life. Whatever you attempt works well and more so, although trying new forms, don't lose Self, will you. xx

[DIVYA]

I always relish the autobiographical pieces that you share from time to time. You have great flair for connecting your experiences with nature to the progression of your life. As always, beautiful, imaginative descriptions that always leave me wondering about my own inability to come up with anything readworthy even if you put me in the most dazzling of landscapes. I especially enjoyed these lines, “afterwards sunning alongside drowsy lizards
flirty flitting dragonflies doing pebble dances”
To me this is the best form of thanking and worshiping nature, writing something wonderful about it. My compliments on yet another great poem, Margie.

[barleygirl]

When I was young & active, I was too busy trying to do everything I wanted to do outdoors & I never wrote much down about it. Now I'm under forced inactivity (at least as far as being too wobbly a walker to do any hiking) . . . God is making me sit still so I can capture all that stuff in words now . . . you never know what will unfold in life as a means to help urge us toward our writing potential! (((HUGS))) Fondly, Margie

[Perdition]

I know a similar place 3 miles up a mountain from where i roam, truly near perfect as I use to dance alone with bears and mostly nothing else but the trees and an 80 foot waterfall...but now it is a well traveled park..d****t! You're having way too much fun with words Margie..lol...but you are getting better with every poem so stay that course. As if anyone cold convince you otherwise...hahaha..thanks for the reads~

[barleygirl]

When I write nonsensical rhyming rollicking stuff, I'm having the most fun. But I'm being steered toward a more serious writing course by the fact that people respond more to a poem like this. I love hearing about your own hide-away . . . it's truly a miracle that, just over the mountains, there is tourism up the ying-yang (Big Sur to Carmel to Monterey) . . . yet this area is only frequented by locals! Love it! (((HUGS))) Fondly, Margie