Happy Belated Birthday, Gary Snyder

I was going to post this Gary Snyder poem a few weeks ago when it was still so cold at night, but then I thought, "No, I am not posting any sad hippy poems. I'm past that."

However, yesterday was the poet's 81st birthday and, oh look, it's cold again. So here it is--it's an old favorite, so the fond memories of first reading it cancel out my desire to shout, "Get a house to sleep in, hippy!" at the end.

Siwashing It Out Once in Suislaw Forest

I slept under     rhododendron
All night    blossoms fell
Shivering on a sheet of cardboard

Feet stuck   in my pack
Hands deep    in my pockets
Barely  able    to   sleep.

I remembered    when we were in school

Sleeping together   in a big warm bed
We were     the youngest lovers
When we broke up     we were still nineteen
Now our   friends are married

You teach  school back east

I don't mind     living this way
Green hills   the long blue beach
But sometimes   sleeping in the open
I think back    when I had you.