A Poem I Wrote in 2005

So I was digging in some old papers of mine and found a poem that I wrote before departing on my hiking on the Appalachian Trail.

The Shelter

"A day has come when to seek shelter. A shelter of where to escape. Not a shelter of wood or stone. Not a shelter of roofs nor walls. It is a shelter of assurance, reflection and peace. The man must remove himself from all society and become who he really is. In the woods is my shelter. In the woods I am free. In those woods which I have walked a day, I feel the presence of God. Yet in the woods I am aware of the darkness. To whom I write this is but myself. To whom I write this is for those who seek something different. So I am taking my day to be away from the scoffers. This day I am honored to be the guest of myself."

-James C. Deane IV
February 12, 2005