"Wilderness Survival"

#Wilderness Survival

The older boys split off and built a lean-to,
gathering pine needles for beds
and starting a small but confident fire,
which they guarded jealously.
 
As the night greened and bled
toward the horizon, we younger ones
began searching for shelter, because
none of us could start a flame.
 
I had a small pack on my hip
with a ration of chocolate and a
silver emergency blanket, which I offered
in exchange for his company.
 
He accepted, and we wedged
ourselves into a small crack in the rock-face
and begrudgingly huddled for warmth.
I imagined what it might feel like
 
if he were to fold my body into his
much larger one, to be beneath rough
hands, calloused from tying lanyards
and building pine-wood derby cars
 
along my slender fingers, wrists, arms, neck.
What it might be, here in the cleft of the rock
to be held, and not for warmth. I shivered
and pretended it was from the cold.  

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