Nostalgia Competition

Adirondack Soap

Adirondack plaid on
a low rise stack
cartons
filled with hard milled logs
white soap in a red box
fresh cologne tanged with lemon
plainly expensive
the sheets below them
shelved perfection of
Amish simplicity for the rich

Summering upstate again
leggy cousins from New York
hurry hot
screen doors creak and bang
racing
to be first on the dock
for a squealing splash in the laughing dusk
beers and towels dropped
at a run as
the freezing lake takes up the fun

indoors surprised deer heads and
stuffed black bears stand watch
lodged by old money and new
Great Camps for the lucky few

Even August nights are mountain cold
woodsmoke curls to where bats hide
shadowed crossbeams under vaulted roof
family games and tales are told
murder in the dark and memories of youth

All revived as I cope
with London life and the smell of soap