DAY OFF ON THE ROCKS

by Robert Thomas

Longed for silently -
Aching muscles longing
For a day of respite
Silently anticipated
But not discussed
Until that morning
Three days in
Let us find a good site
And have a day off
We have made progress.
Swaying in hammocks
Or stretched on a shaded sleeping mat
With camping pillow and tea
And a magazine and a pipe
Or ensconced on well-shaped rock
Near the water's edge
Under a luckily open sky
The campsite strewn and disorderly
Yet somehow orderly
In this distant place
Clothes and towels collect
On a well-knotted line
Tent flaps pinned back
To freshen the accommodation
Fluctuating chatter in groups
Politics, history, music, food
One decides to swim and others follow
Peanuts and chocolate and cheese and biscuits
Or thick and savoury bannock and butter
Just baked on the coals
And of course another pot of tea
Then more reading and banter
And swaying in hammocks
Perfunctory exploring on foot
Along vanishing paths
Hopeful casting of lines
For practice anyway
Solo canoe to that taunting creek
Napping or reading or whatever.
There is nothing to do but little
And everything is idle
Slow-moving and sunny.