FIRE the fire contained in a metal ring inviting you to talk to the other people sitting around it discussing their day nature and all the other things that matter or happen to them both good and bad confiding in people friends family as they sit and watch the orange and red flames dance over the logs the conversation turning sometimes funny and humorous sometimes being still deathly still and very serious or just filled with silence both kinds comfortable and uncomfortable but still always a good time a time for reflecting and talking to people THE SHINGLE FIRE the shingle fire a high fire a roaring fire a bonfire a fire larger than all others one in which old roofing materials shingles that burn high nails that melt insulation that smells as they all burn one that leads to the clear-burning question if shingles burn so well why do I put them on my roof THE LIL’ PEOPLE FIRE the lil’ people fire one at which everyone is amused by the little people the young the toddlers and babies the conversation of increasing simplicity as everyone tries to decipher the mumbled speak of the lil’ people inconvenienced by a lisp a short attention span and a stutter but still
enjoying himself throwing things in the fire the “hot lava” with talk of a T-rex and some dinosaur bones and remarking of the view he had seen that day when he climbed or was helped to climb up the bluff almost a thousand feet looking down somewhat scared but enjoying himself all the more for the danger then being scared some more and refusing to come down without the help of his “Da-ee” and being so tired that he had to be carried home and then had to take a nap but was very energized very well a couple of hours later just in time for the fire playing with his dinosaur toys pretending to be Spiderman and shooting everyone
with webs he reflected while playing around the fire dodging the smoke and flying embers and ashes on having the best day he had ever had in the company of everyone he knows and loves THE SENIOR’S FIRE the senior’s fire takes on a slightly more talkative tone with the sitters reminiscing and talking about their life to their kids
and their grandkids and singing songs that they were taught by their parents who were taught by their parents and so on in turn reciting poetry that they know and love and remember from fires long past what the senior’s fire lacks in physical activity it makes up for it in spirit THE COOKING FIRE the cooking fire not much of a fire at which people talk but interspersed with cries of “hot stuff coming through” people at all different stages of the eating process some preparing a plastic plate filled with camping fare recently roasting over the fire some tending the food roasting over the fire some sitting watching over everything watchful of everyone making sure no one gets burned just in charge and knowing what’s going on with everyone nobody talking much until later while just sitting around the fire when everyone is done with the cooking and
baking and roasting and burning and scorching of food then it is time to talk and to discuss the day the food and the fire RAINY FIRE the fire in the rain one of waiting and hoping and wanting for the rain to stop as you sit under a tarp and watch the rain fall down out of the sky watching the lightning strike and wondering if you shouldn’t be better protected contemplating thoughts of running to the car or to the tent but all of this overshadowed while you watch the fire hoping above all hope that it will not go out running to the fire between downpours of rain and throwing on more wood hoping that it will
last to the next stoppage of rain FIRE W/ FRIENDS the fire that occurs with friends in tow originally against the whole concept of living outside of their sheltered home but you managed to convert them into the correct the right way of thinking with nature now they are in awe of you as you create the campsite and build a fire and teach them how to make s’mores and roast hotdogs you have successfully converted more to the ranks of the natural people you sit around the fire all
night talking at first of stupid things like dating but moving on to the natural world and what you hear and what you see you spend the night around the fire with nature with friends COUPLE’S FIRE the fire at which sits the couple too busy in their complete and total infatuation of each other too notice the fire yet it plays a subtle note in the romantic scene of two lovers who like both each other and the outdoors the outdoors which drew them together and will keep them
together the fire the focal point the maker of light the cooker of food the one provider all that it asks is some fuel and it provides the couple with their necessities the couple’s fire the provider NO FIRE the fire that isn’t a fire the fire that is non-existent the fire that has failed or been rained out or worse abandoned the fire that never happened the fire that is just a memory the fire that was deserted when the rain was too hard and everyone ran and hid
or the fire that was forgotten as everyone moved on to their satellite plasma TV’s and their RV’s sleeping in a bed watching the football game in the middle of the woods or the fire that everyone forgets as they go to bed after a long day in nature the fire or the fire that is neglected and goes out because no one cares and they are all busy doing other more “important” things the fire that should not be neglected or forgotten and should always be created first thing the fire that symbolizes and embodies the whole concept of camping of caring and creating for yourself and relying on nature for everything that you could want or need
