Last weekend I went camping in Shenandoah National Park with a group of friends. We arrived on Friday afternoon and set up camp, then hung out around the campfire, talking and drinking.

Years ago, when Jay and I first started dating, we camped regularly, often going 5-6 times each year. Now, with a job that has me traveling 50% of the time, I’m lucky to squeeze in one, maybe two, camping weekends a year. Last year I didn’t go at all and so this year we planned a camping weekend early in the season.

I sometimes have trouble sleeping while camping and this weekend proved no different. The first night I woke up multiple times throughout the night and then was up for good at 4am. I lay on my cot (yes, we have cots. We also have a massive 6-person tent for only two of us…but I digress) for a while but just after 5am I decided I may as well get up for the day. The sun was just beginning to show through the thick trees.

Early Morning Sunrise

I made myself a cup of coffee and then sat down with my book of poetry. I’m still reading Women of Resistance: Poems for a New Feminism and it paired excellently with the sunrise and coffee. In the early morning light I read this poem:

After everyone woke and dressed and breakfasted we headed out to do a long hike that included a stop at some natural swimming holes. On our way back from the swimming holes we heard rustling in the trees. I paused and looked, assuming it was a deer bounding away. Instead I was surprised to see a black bear loping away from us! Ten minutes later there was more rustling and another black bear was spotted! I’ve never seen bears while hiking in Virginia, in fact, I’ve never seen one on a trail ever. I did spot several grizzlies while in Denali National Park in Alaska, but thankfully those were very far away — trust me, a grizzly is not the animal you want to encounter while hiking!

8-mile hike!

Once back at camp and we’d traded our hiking shoes for flip-flops, we gathered in a loose circle, drinks and snacks within reaching distance. Suddenly, Jonathan said, “Uhhh, guys?…” and pointed to the road that ran through the campground. There was a snake, crossing the road.

Why did the snake cross the campground?

Of course we all popped up to investigate and that’s when we heard the telltale rattle of its tail. Yup, a rattlesnake. Eventually the rattler made its way to the woods — away from our tents, thankfully — and we carried on talking. But the image of the snake, its beautifully slinking body, stayed with me.

Once home on Sunday I perused Twitter and came across Mary Oliver’s poem, The Black Snake. I knew then I needed to write a poem about the snake that appeared at our campsite.

The poem is still a work in progress but I’m excited about nature inspiring a poem. What are your favorite nature poems?