Wednesday 27 June 2012

The Picnic


I could never understand
The logic of eating “en plein air”
A habit for which I had no care

My little heart would fall
When each event was planned and
Preparations made and put in hand

All but me were so excited
As hampers filled with food and drink
And even Dad would nod and wink

The trip was hell as discomfort reigned
Brother and sister jumped and played
In the car as I sat dismayed

And when we found the spot to sit
Far from home and comfort’s bliss
I would more and more my teddy miss

Parents sat and children scattered
But soon this changed as did the weather
As ants attacked and wasps did gather

Our food was clearly the attraction
As crawling emetts were pulverized
And wasps were flicked away from eyes

The clouds that up to now had taunted
Now let loose their fury wild
And Mum was no longer mild

With hasty packing we left the field of dreams
And turned my day from a nightmare
To head for home without one care

And when that night with Teddy tucked
Picnics I prayed from me please keep
and slept a night of blissful sleep

11 comments:

  1. Your certainly make picnicking sound like no picnic!

    My outdoor eating dread was always the beach picnic. Warm peanut butter sandwiches, crunchy with sand. Why? Were my parents sadists?

    Don't answer. :-)

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  2. Awe and I have always enjoyed the picnic...but no wasps and rain have given me pain...what's that stuff about something on the "barby"?
    Old Grizz

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  3. I always think of a picnic as more trouble than it's worth

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  4. I love the ideas of picnics but I have to agree with the overall tone of this poem: too much trouble!

    visiting from 3WW

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  5. I have a little boy like you.When the tonsils were removed all the other children wanted jelly...mine could only eat oysters mornay!

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  6. Couldn't agree more as far as organised, sit down picnics are concerned. Eating a casual snack as you stroll in the woods is another matter. We once went on a picnic in Lapland, in mid-summer. Aaagh! 30 billion, hard-biting mosquitos - per sandwich!

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  7. Did make me smile. This is how I remember picnics, sandwiches filled with ants and dirt, wasps appearing the second someone opened a packet of anything... and those miserable drives to and from the designated joyful spot (usually alive with unexpected nettles). Thank you for bringing a knowing smile to my lips this morning *grin*

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  8. Teddy and home is the best picnic..emmett as in Cornish outsider? they are grockels here..peace and bed..lets' hope..Jae

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  9. The "field of dreams" "en plein air" sounds really beautiful to me. It just sounds like Mum picked the worst day for a picnic. This was a sweet little glimpse and I'm happy that you always had a prayer and the comfort of Teddy's care.

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  10. ah, yes...picnics are often over-romanticized. I'm with you and Teddy!

    Well captured sentiment!

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  11. :-)
    I paid my camping and picnicking dues.
    That's why now, I do my camping at the nearest Hilton.
    :-)
    Kwee

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