Orientation

From the broken spire of an old pine
a bluejay sends out its shrill shriek
of warning as below singly, in pairs
or small groups young people flock
through the forest, on trails and off
behaving as though time is of the
essence in an orientation contest each
is determined to distinguish their
skills in. Grasping a printed sheet
with instructions, they stream through
around and past the trails, ascending
and descending hills, their voices
resounding in excited calls as they
pause to 'sign in' to areas they pass in
proof of their prowess though theirs is
a raw and new experience, pursuing
nature in her own home when their
usual pursuits reflect a different type
of carousing altogether. Garbed in a
uniform black, girls and boys from
pre-adolescence to late teens stream
in and out focused on the task at hand
their environment simply incidental
to the importance of their assigned goal.