#543 suntans around hemp-bracelet lines

clean nervous smiles step off the bus and into a magic loosely defined as "summer camp"

strange names surround and bad hair-days abound

songs are sung and rules sneaked in and games played

then bedtime

the stop

causes homesickness

but then wake-up and another full day

games and songs and friends and sunshine

and if not, puddle-jumping

sunburnt smiles and everyday flip-flops

campfire smoke and white rabbits

rare showers are the only alone time other than the toilet

the days pile up and there is one sleep left

homesickness returns

but this time in perspective

and greater than the homesickness

the procrastination of morning

the procrastination of mourning