THE Pennsburg Camp Fire

by Totem Pole Rik Palieri 2003

A young hobo, hopped off a box car, just outside of town,

and found a quiet little jungle where he could lay his bindle down.

He gathered some dry firewood, to brighten up the night,

but when he struck his match, he saw an awfully eery sight.

For the campfire glowed and sparkled with a brilliant rainbow flame

flickering and dancing like the headlight of a fast west bound train.

Then walking out of the fire's cinders and through the smokey air,

came the ghosts of some old hoboes, he thought he'd met somewhere.

They came and shook his hand ,as all good hobos do

then offered up a spud or two and started boiling up a stew.

Their calm and friendly manners finally calmed the young Bo's fright.

He asked if they could jungle up together and spend the lonesome night

"Each of us caught the Westbound", one Bo said with a tear,

but we all come back to Pennsburg, if only once a year,

On the third week in September when fall is almost near,

we hobo out of heaven and jungle up right here.

You see this old hobo jungle is a mighty sacred spot,

where hobos came year after year and camped on this very lot.

It was one of the best hobo gatherings, that you could ever find,

where hobos were respected and townsfolk treated them oh so fine".

They all looked into the campfire for it was almost dawn,

then the Bo's made up their packs and said, they'd be moving on.

Then there was a mighty whistle and the camp fire filled with steam,

and all the old hobos vanished, like it was all just a crazy dream.

The young Bo, sat bewildered and said, "How could this really be?

Is it the whisky I've been drinking or is my mind playing tricks on me?"

Then he looked into the fire and what he saw could not explain,

for there were his hobo buddies, riding on a fiery train.

The train sounded one last whistle as his hobo pals said, "So Long"

then the wind blew the flames out, and the campfire light was gone

Then the young Bo packed his bindle and walked down to the track.

He hopped inside a boxcar, but knew that he'd be back

For the magic of Pennsburg's campfire, still lives in all the hearts,

of every Bo who went there, and camped beneath the stars

And someday in the future when all of us are gone,

A space age traveler will light the fire, and the magic will live on.