A summer night with stars
and fireflies trying to
outsparkle one another
I inhale deeply the
odor of burning logs and
sounds of singing around
the campfire transports me
to a different time when
a shy six year old spent
her first week at camp
Her mother packed matching
short sets and tennis shoes
The old brown suitcase held
everything on the ‘bring to camp’
list, towels, toothbrush, flaslight,
postcards to write home, stamps
During the days she laughed and swam,
played 4 square and sang Kumbaya
But at night when only the
crickets and owls were awake
she cried silent, homesick tears
I reach up and feel wet tracks
on my cheeks – crying for a little
girl gone away
rhymeswithbug 
ah…the tears merge with the tears of the little girl….a beautifully evocative poem…
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Thanks so much!
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Ah.. the feeling of homesick at camp in such a good feeling, as it proves one comes from a loving family;
and truly for me whenever I left the home of my mama, I was homesick as she was the greatest provider
of nurturing love I ever see; and that gift of nurturing love is a camp of life that will never be equaled for me
‘here or
there’; love is precious
and homesick is evidence
of that precious; i truly feel
sad for the little boys and girls
that do not miss home at all;
that is sad
to me
beyond tears
where love
can even be missed;
i was the luckiest
little homesick
boy; I was
to chicken
to go to
camp;
only homesick
visiting my father..:)
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Thanks for a new perspective on homesickness.
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What a difference between day and night, and sometimes it’s the tears that come back and sometimes it’s the joy. Memories are tricky;-)
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They are for sure – unpredictable too.
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Oh, this made my heart groan. So well done.
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Thanks bunches!
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Well the ending made me teary eyed too ~ I always feel homesick away from home ~
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Nice. I grew up camping, so spent a lot of time out in the woods.
I miss aspects of my childhood as well, but then again I get to relive
it a bit with my own boys. Def an emotinal piece.
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Thanks. Have fun with those kids!
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oh i hear you… i sometimes miss that girl i’ve been once as well… and you make me wanna go camping again…
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😌
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I like the two layers I see here in those tears: the little girl memories and that little girl that is now missed. Simple and to the point!
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Thanks so much!
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Such a touching piece 🙂
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Thank you!
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This is beautiful. I was never the home-sick one, but I’ve worked at camp and met my share of “shy six year olds”. Very well done!
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Thank you very much!
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You nailed it. During the day, camp was a wondrous place; night, however, brought strange sounds and memories of home, friends and activities missed. Of course, once camp was over, nighttime brought memories of summer friends, campfires, swimming, riding, and activities missed until next season.
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Thanks.
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