Eight Big Boys

I wrote this during and after our trip to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area a couple of weeks ago.

Eight Big Boys
- To be sung to “Yankee Doodle”

Eight big boys from First Free Church
C’noed the boundary waters
Left couch and remote behind
With wives and sons and daughters
Packed a pair of underwear
Was that all I needed?
The doctor said that I could go
So with care I proceeded

To Grand Marais we left with haste
And stayed at Pastor Harvey’s
Slept in comfort, ate real well
It’s Northern hospitality
Up the gunflint trail we drove
In at Seagull Lake
Little did we know that eight mere
Hours it would take

Captain Ole was our man
He headed our adventure
Navigated like a champ
With calculated measure
Ole, Ole, lead us on
Into great blue waters
When this trip has come and gone
We’ll hold you up in honor

Browner was a fisherman
With Mountain Dew and paddle
“Trolled” the lakes with his own hand
Caught nothing now I tattle
Cast it out, cast it again
Never from it weary
If you ever catch a thing
I might believe your theory

Scotty is a carpenter,
A jack of every trade
Cabinets and paddles are just
Some of what he’s made
Once for dinner he prepared
Dehydrated spaghetti
Adding water was such fun
Your talents sure are many

Jon was vet’ran guide and cook
His meals were a sensation
After feeding us would
Encourage contemplation
Engineered our feasts so well
Loved the steak and chicken
Cared for us e’en at the end
By lending us tenactin

Stopped at Knife to set up camp
It could not come too soon
Not much happened here, we slept;
While Scotty shot at loons
Jeremy snored, kept us up
Jon cooked eggs and bacon
Packed it up and then we left
Eight boys on their vacation

Knife, Amoeber, and Topaz,
Day: two; lakes down: just three
God had mercy on our backs,
A sweet site at lake cherry
Portage nearly killed us all
Muscles were so tender
Lunch was good as I recall
Cheese, sausage, bread, p-butter

Mark & I swam ‘cross the lake
As fish we were in water
Browner, Koby caught bass so we
Cooked some up for dinner
Love the taste of small mouth bass
Heated over fire
Fresh from where he swam his last
And only inches higher.

Football player Jeremy
was quite the entertainer
Showed me how to fish
With hook, leech, bobber and a sinker
Did a little dance one time
A joyful celebration
At the catch of a walleye
He showed his delectation

Mark is our man from the south,
No, wait he’s from Ohio.
Kicked out of his church because
He read from NIV -- O
Pastor Mark, you rebel, you
Paddle strong and steady
When I needed some ear plugs
I ask you ‘cuz you’re ready.

Playing bard has been my role,
I do not take it lightly
Would have wrote much less but thanks
To Jeremy I write nightly
I won’t think about my legs
They’re not really throbbing
Aches and pains, I’m going to bed
My sleep you have been robbing

After pancakes we moved on
Portages to go: four
Roots and rocks and up and down
Until we see the lake shore
We all peed on Canada
North of monument
Paddled up the Sag Lakes as
Relieved Americans

Camped by Munker Island for a
Final night of rest
Only to be greeted by
Green Man of the Forest
Mask on face he was a friend
With us he would fish
“Litter Not” was his command
“Come back again” his wish

Chip was oldest and best dressed:
Red jacket and brown pants
Navy man & teacher, now
Consults for insurance.
When the rain began to fall
And our spirits tired
He’s the one to cheer us on
Keeping the weary fired

Morning rain was our goodbye
Our trip is at its end
Food was gone and so we lunched
With Ole and with Sven
Eight big boys from First Free Church
C’noed the boundary waters
Left the wild to return to wives and sons
and daughters!