Passed Tents
written by: Clay Miller
As I walk by shade tents on a beach, the sights, sounds and smells from the past come to me in a flash
Waking up in a single person tent inside a warm sleeping bag
One side of the tent is lit up – the Sun is up before me
Once released from the flannel cocoon, I feel the perfectly cool morning air
Unzipping the tent door I see sunlight glide through the tall trees
The rapid fire echo of an unseen woodpecker bashing its beak against a partially hollow old maple tree is the only sound this wilderness morning
Then comes one of my favorites – the smoky and sweet smell of last night’s campfire
Do I have enough newspaper and dry firewood for a fire to take the chill off myself?
That question is answered a couple of minutes later as I hear the satisfying crackling of sticks within the ring of singed stones
The woodpecker apparently has moved on now in its search for the perfect specimen
As I lean closer and feel the warmth of the fire, I think to myself in the silence
When alone, it’s only in nature that I am truly at peace
The sound of the ocean’s crashing waves brings me back to the present
And I smile, certain I was right.
- Passed Tents - October 18, 2025
- Fall To Me - July 19, 2025
