Campout
Alex Baskin
they sent us into the woods with hatchets and saws
older children taught younger children how to live
my friend showed me this neat trick with a lighter
we felt ancient sleeping under our god’s freckles
older children taught younger children everything
before grilling a hot dog cut it open long or short
we felt ancient sleeping under our god’s speckles
three times a day we prayed even brought a torah
before grilling a hot dog slice it open long or short
one boy went to the hospital when he broke his leg
this grassy land became a temple three times a day
sleeping bag from target i doused you in bug spray
one boy went to the hospital when bone pierced skin
dandelions were plucked and blown and discarded
bright blue sleeping bag i curled a world inside you
/ i / wanted / to / be / not / looking / at / me /
dandelions were plucked and blown and discarded
my friend showed me this neat trick with a lighter
/ i / wanted / to / be / not / looking / at / me /
they sent us into the woods with hatchets and saws
AUTHOR BIO
Alex Baskin is a graduate of Harvard Divinity School. Rooted in over a decade of Buddhist practice and his upbringing in an orthodox Jewish family and community, he works as an interfaith hospital chaplain. His poetry appears in Gulf Coast, Lucky Jefferson, poetry.onl, Redivider, and elsewhere. Originally from New Jersey, he lives in Massachusetts.
JUDGE'S REMARKS
“campout” drives us forward with form and image and a kind of aching nostalgia for childhood. “Older children taught younger children how to live,” the poem tells us. Sleeping bags and hot dogs and god and here we are inhabiting the space where the self becomes aware, separate but yearning to not be. A richly image-driven poem, and one of this year’s contest runners-up.
Poetry Judge
Allison Field Bell
Allison Field Bell is a multi-genre writer originally from northern California, but currently living in Utah.
MORE ABOUT ALLISON