Silence II

I am in my late 40s
And crave the wilderness,
My wife and sons have
Come with me on many
Journeys into the Gila
Wilderness to the Mogollon
Mountains hiking up to 9500
Feet to smell the scent of pine
Hear the creeks burbling down
See the gentle wind sway the
Pine tops laying in a hammock
Reading a paperback history.
But my wife is too busy as are
My sons so I break the rules
And go alone into the Gila,
I know it is dangerous but the
Mountains call to me so I go
Driving a thousand miles then
Hiking up alone to lay here on
My hammock in the forest
With the wild bears pumas
And possibly wolves and more.
I lay listening, scenting, feeling
The isolation and the delicious
Silence of being alone in the
Wilderness hearing all the
Sounds of nature again that
Are drowned out in city life.
Now I am 72 and dream of
Strolling under the strange
New trees new scents new
Feelings of a park behind
Our home in Encinitas in
Southern California with
My sweetheart and Rosie
Our dog, to sit on a park
Chair with my true love
And read fiction for the
Pleasure of it rather
Than for knowledge
Of wars strategy
Tactics military
And naval,
Just for the joy of
An occasional
Respite,
A new silence
Spent with
My other
Half and
Rosie our
Doggie.
Time for
Talk later.
Time now
To enjoy the
Silence.