I love this poem, Ron. Back in the late 1940s and early '50s, my brother and I, along with another set of neighborhood brothers about our age, used to roam the hills surrounding our West Virginia home. During the summer months, especially, we were inseparable. Some days I long to live that "Stand By Me" life once again, but the aches and pains of being 71 won't allow it. I have been blessed to have been able to see all of our fifty states and so much of the beauty they behold. I absolutely love the Western states. Forgive me for rambling on and on, but your writing seems to bring my talking side to the surface. Thanks for the memories, Ron.

David

Oh to walk on the wild side! I have done this occasionally, but tend to do most of it in visualisation! I admire those who do it on a regular basis....
Great poem....
Diana....

Saw the movie and yes, he did things his way and died,(not his way.)

Always,

Deborah

Nature enjoy and confront it at its best and worst.
et erit terra UsAll

Interesting and thought provoking work Ron. Thank you, Jon Michael

Love Regis's comment and admire the sentiment although that degree of hardship and cold would kill me, I'm sure. My upbringing was far more Tess of the D'Urbervilles for which I'm equally thankful. Now I can't claim to live in the wilds but am very close to nature here on my heath by the sea. Today's life sees me living less and less for the trappings of modern-day existence and more and more in pursuit of oneness to the earth - even in my small way! And if the film you mention is the one where the lad dies alone in a caravan after poisoning himself on an inedible plant, then it remains on the top shelf of my DVD library here at home in the hopes of never seeing it again! My son takes an overactive interest in survival techniques at the best of times and the film's outworkings makes my mother's heart shudder! Can't however argue with the premise of your, as always, neatly-crafted poem, Ron. xx

I think you make some fine points within your verses here, Ron. I was raised in northern Alberta. We did not have running water, electricity (only a couple of years before we left there), no TV, no indoor toilets... ...well, I'm sure you get it. The winters were long and brutally cold. Yet, I've never felt so alive and one with the earth as I did back then. Thank you for the memories. Love and peace,

Regis

I'm always the happiest when I get out of the city and I trek into the wild. Most of my favorite memories are from out there - in the woods, in the deserts, in the mountains, and on remote wilderness lakes - and most of my wild treks have been even better with a dog or two by my side.

I love love this poem. I can picture you doing all of those things. Just think of how much of that you did and did not die.

Ron, this is a very intriguing and good write! Makes one wonder what have I left undone or perhaps I should create a bucket list! But through it all live life to the fullest! Peace!!!

You're a risk taker, aren't you? You've only get to live once, so be kind to yourself.

Sandie

Go for the gusto.
go for the glory
we only live once,
so make it a damn good story.

I think it's better to go for it, and wish you hadn't rather than not doing something and wished you had.

Michael D.

I agree enthusiastically with all you say, but especially your own preface "In our world it’s easy to join the system, go through the motions, stay safe and secure, and miss the essence of what it means to be alive." Isn't denying the possibility of a new life with new experiences, with an intact and healthy mind and body, with new loves and heartaches, while facing new challenges and opportunities taking the safe and secure way out and closing the door to the endless possibilities that a huge body of evidence shows awaits us? You can't have it both ways, Ron...

Never got to try, let alone do, any of those except the hurricane one, but it was enough to make my heart beat way too fast...oh yeah, and I tried to die younger but I wasn't allowed...now have to look up this McCandless person...-e-

This one gave me goosies. So moving and so picturesque.

~Ron~
Wild this expressive poem in so much the experience
to grasp. Splendid!

Lady Mary Ann

Life has its moments that are kept in our memories.

Ah, yes! Being wild and free and one with nature is my idea of Utopia! I really enjoyed this poem especially, "Feel the waterfall in your face,
swim in crystal clear at the base." Oh, I can see and feel it right now.

Love ya!

Jane

I gentle-broke mustangs for three years and looked closely into their eyes. They only seemed happy when let free to run and when I left that mountain ranch I so wanted to leave the gate open and set them free. Only one out of the whole herd, the stallion that they cut, would not let anyone ride him. I made my heart glad to hear they had to make him a pasture horse but I wish he could run free again.

Yep. Although McCandless put what I describe as my wild to shame, and although my wild lasted only a couple of decades, I look back on it with fondness and terror equally. Good write . . .

And awesome piece Ron, thank you for this outstanding jewel
of a poem, I love any poem about nature....Peace be with you


William