Shelter Journal


Near the end of a day of finest sunshine and sorest feet I emerge
at last from a mile of dried out shrub to find another shelter

primitive log cabins with three walls a roof and no fireplace
thrown up all along the Appalachian Trail for the weary hiker

where I also spy a worn spiral notebook titled Shelter Journal
hanging from a string and scribbled through with entries...

16 October

Name's Tom Wilkins and I'm just now getting the hang of hiking
these great outdoors but I can't seem to find any toilet paper
and what do I do about that curled up snake when I'm sleeping

Also on the way in I had to swing my walking stick before me to
clear off a veritable colony of spider webs stretched across my
path like little bandits waiting for me or maybe a smaller hiker

Pretty enterprising bugs around here hungry too

17 October

Mario diSilva formerly from the University of Chicago faculty
recently granted tenure by this academy of Owl and Ancient Oak

Yesterday attended a wedding ceremony performed on the trail
the bride and groom wearing finest khaki and dressed-out packs
the wedding party forming an archway of crossed hatchets while
the parson recited the vows with every living creature as witness

Nice snake took a few snapshots for my album

18 October

Hello we're Thad & Monica Proctor from Nantucket vacationing
in this mountain air as crisp and mild as vintage Pinot Noir

Thad has been making sketches of these charming little cabins and
we're thinking of duplicating them for our hunting lodge in Maine

Heard some rustling but saw no reptiles somewhat a pity I suppose

19 October

Heads up ye Rockers 'cause Danny Boy and I (Todd, dude) are
truckin' down to DC to score some most excellent weed and hear
Van Halen rip the top off the Capitol dome if we can get tickets

We actually saw that snake type person slitherin' into our space
and he's a mean lookin' sucker too so Danny throws a rock at it
but it just bounced off a wall and winged the wasp's nest under
the roof and now we can't stay the night what a bummer

20 October

My name is Rudolf Stein I am a physics student from West Berlin

I love America with its mysterious wildlands like Germany once
had before we cut our forests into farms and timber into cities

I do not worry about these wasps or snakes for they are children

If we but leave them alone to play they will grow tired and sleep
and as I am very tired now I will bid future travelers good-night

21 October

Muriel Rebecca and Patty arrived yesterday late into twilight
the sky all purply fresh like an opened jar of grape preserves

Looked like it might rain but the locals say there's a drought
so today we'll see if we can make it up to the ridge top by lunch

Searched for a snake that's supposed to be living in the shelter
according to this log but couldn't find it thank God or the snake 

Only four hundred and seventy-three miles behind us but with any
luck we'll finish up and join our grandchildren by Thanksgiving

Met a nice German boy yesterday who stayed here the day before

22 October

my name is erin but im called star now im fiften yers old and im
hikin alone cause my famly sais im crazy and i gess i am cause
anybody is crazy to do this alone but i dont care i luv hidin in
the green woods all alone were nobody wont find me exept trees
and birds singin songs of peace and love so ill just keep movin
the snake bit me its sore but ill wash it wen i get to a store

23 October

Ed Walters from Arlington trying out my new hi-tech camping gear
especially this internal pack frame and synthetic down mummy bag 

That's why I love the outdoor life meeting the eternal challenge
of Man's drive to survive and ultimately master untamed nature

Sounds like Erin could use some help so if I spot her tomorrow
I'll crack open the ol' first aid kit and a freeze-dried steak

I hear snakes can sleep for weeks after feeding on a single mouse
but then I haven't seen any mice so I think I'd better move on 

24 October

Johnny Sparrow reading these found poems as dusk fades to dark
and the drought breaks for me as I swim in a river of Bards

Didn't see the snake didn't see any wasps never seen Nantucket
but tonight I will sleep outside on Mama's granite bosom for I
trust Her hard cool stone more than the affection of Her buzzing
or slithering children seeking the warmth of my sleeping bag

Tomorrow I head south away from myself and toward myself again

25 October

Nobody arrived at the shelter today
Now maybe me and the girls upstairs can get some sleep

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This poem is from On Pagan Roads Copyright © 2004 David Arv Bragi