O Tan-faced Prairie Boy

O Tan-faced Prairie Boy

Innocent

Old-fashioned

Never bored

Perpetually in motion

except when there’s a story

O tan-faced prairie boys

Mirthful smirk

Bare chested

Brown sinewy limbs

Freckles ranging the bridge of your nose

dirt resting between your toes

O tan-faced prairie boys

Brink of boyhood

Manhood approaching

Stature changing, features re-arranging

but your destination unchanging

you’ll fly-

O my tan-faced prairie boy

One with nature

Keen twinkly eyes

Hold the sky

and a mischievous smile

you lope and read and explore the while

O my tan-faced prairie boy

Kindness shows in every feature

Your harmony and mercy

soften and blur our lines

Fearlessly loving, but never fiercely

faithful steady beating heart

O my tan-faced prairie boy

Hungry for beauty

you find it everywhere

Eyes and hands hold the light

filled by the wildflowers and the moon

Creator, in the image of the Father and the Son

O my tan-faced prairie boy

Bold, directing

my best inspecting

but frankly forgiving

Strong action willing

then ponderous thought stilling

O my tan-faced prairie boy

Working boy work-

building, shouting,

mouse lives saving,

swimming, shooting,

Dirt hill moving,

Complaining never

Could camp forever

No hardship fearing

my mother heart cheering

God bless you-

O tan-faced prairie boys

Poem above Inspired by Walt Whitman’s poem “O Tan-Faced Prairie-Boy”

O tan-faced prairie-boy,

Before you came to camp came many a welcome gift,

Praises and presents came and nourishing food, till at last among the recruits,

You came, taciturn, with nothing to give – we but look’d on each other,

When lo! more than all the gifts of the world you gave me.

-Walt Whitman