SPAM AND EGGS

Ah, the smell of spam and eggs
hot black coffee
me alone, a campfire before sunrise
i'm in the shawnee national forest
in southern illinois
it's hot and humid, today.
i decide to hike the long way
swatting bugs and mosquitos
sweating good now
cooling me off
then the rains come
the trails are muddy
and i fear the climb
i have to climb up first
to go down into little grand canyon
mystical southern illinois
my body is lean
i'm 57 years old
and i am well
my breath comes fast
i feel good
i see woodland creatures
birds, deer, racoon, hawks,
snakes, chipmunks, rabbits,
they are my friends
i see trees, flowers, cliffs,
then i get to the canyon
i climb down to a ledge
less than two feet wide
it's more than 200 feet down
i see dates carved into rock
some are from the early 1800's
this makes the hike worth it all
the canyon is closed now
protected by the national park system
i remember being on the bottom
seeing iced over water falls
and spectacular colors,
from mineral deposits
this was in the winter time
i was twenty years old
with another guy, from nebraska
who turned me on to this magical place
my photographic mind still sees it
or maybe its just my illusion
but it is a good illusion
i enjoy it
it was good to be back
it is my little grand canyon
a good place to be
alone with a breakfast of
spam and eggs
strong coffee and me