Three Words

An old friend of mine from back in my camp days has a special gift for writing poetry. When we were counselors together at Luther Point Bible Camp some 30 years ago (gasp!), Mike would write poems daily and post them in the staff lounge. Not your typical rhyme-y stuff. But deep stuff. Good stuff.

This year for Lent, Mike (Pastor Mike to many) decided to write a poem (or two) a day for friends who provided three words as a writing prompt. Today, Day 34, was my day.

My three words: Kayak, ice cream. camera

There are pictures
I have taken
With my Polaroid
Camera,
Which make me realize
I can never avoid
Tears.
My son
Spilling ice cream
On our first vacation.
Trying to balance
A kayak
And canoe
On an old blue
Station
Wagon.
A high school
Graduation
That came upon us
Too quickly.
And
The last picture
Of my father
Before he became sickly
And died.
All these memories
Held.
Never
To be forgotten.
Never
To be dismissed.
Just
Poignant moments
Where we all kissed
Destiny
And captured it
Ever
So
Briefly.

Pretty cool, huh? I love it. He's awesome!

One of these days I'll dig up some of my old poetry. I did some in high school but got really inspired those summers at camp. You can see why. Some people can see into a soul and paint that picture with words.

Just three words. Good stuff.