Start at dawn.
Go where there are no roads,
no footprints.
Go until your feet blister,
and the sun glints low
through aspen.
Gather wood, water, berries.
Taste smoke in the stew.
Let the fire hush to embers.
Watch stars. Name a few.
Listen for the owl.
– Sarah Russell
For the prompt “finding a sanctuary” on Poets United
Sarah Russell Poetry 
Ah, makes me want to HIKE again! You have captured what it’s like.
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Thanks, Mary. The wilderness is always my sanctuary.
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If only my legs would obey I would love to get lost in the Australian bush again that my wife I used to do searching for birds, binoculars in hand to mark off the list with a tick!
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I hear there are absolutely amazing birds in Oz. Hope to get there one day. A good friend lives there.
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It’s easy to go bush in Oz…small population and plenty of space except most of us don’t and just huddle in the cities.Contrast is very important.Enjoyed your poem
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Thanks a lot, Rall.
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Oh this is EXACTLY how to find sanctuary and perfect peace. You made me want to go, build a campfire, bask in the smoke! Wonderful.
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And s’mores, right Sherry? Gotta have s’mores!
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Oh beautiful exactly my kind of sanctuary! I am having some tramps on my bucket list. Beautiful photo as well
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Thanks, Marja. My kind of sanctuary too!
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“Taste smoke in the stew” Hahaha-this brought back the BEST memories. To all of your poem, I say YES.
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Would love to hear that story, Susan. Sounds like a poem…
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Oh…this is a dream sanctuary. Love the vastness and peace that the sanctuary offers here.
So nice to see you here Sara.
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Thanks, Sumana. Between Toads, dVerse and Poets United, it will keep me busy. I just can’t do all of the prompts every week. I want to respond to everyone who writes, so I have to limit the number of prompts I answer.
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A magical write you really transported me
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Thanks so much, Jae Rose.
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Your words conjure up sanctuary, peaceful and serene! Well said.
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Thanks, Bev. Sometimes I think I write better if I write “to” the prompt rather than using the prompt as a word in the poem. It seemed to work that way in this poem.
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