Naked Emotions Poem by James Walter Orr

I paddled by that tree enshrouded bank
And watched the curling currents passing by.
I stopped above a limpid pool and drank;
The water darkening as a cloud passed high.

Sitting against the bole of a giant oak,
I ate my simple meal of bread and cheese.
The fleecy clouds the noon time sun-rays broke,
But yet, the heat was rising by degrees.

The brook followed a gentle curve and bend.
The pool was carved out by the gurgling stream.
A willow tree‘s drooping limbs did suspend
A curtain formed of leaves, as in a dream.

The open waterway allowed to blow,
A breeze, but sheltered sight from down below.


Though fall, not yet the leaves to gold had turned:
The grapevines, burdened by the loads they carried.
Along the banks, the stream was grassed and ferned,
And yet in that enchanted place I tarried.

The squirrels, in those surroundings, played their tag.
The sun moved slowly west across the sky.
I felt I’d find no better place to lag,
Before fell darkness, if I made the try.

Quite far I’d traveled since broke early dawn,
And lightly damp with sweat was my attire.
I thought to bathe, then nightly garb put on,
And read awhile before I did retire.

In moments more, in nature’s wear full clad,
I stepped down in the only bath I had.


Exist few things that on your skin can brush,
Like water, by a sunny day, turned warm.
And touching one like fingers, in its rush;
Inducing the epitome of charm.

I stood in such a sensual delight,
Unmoving, rapt, without the slightest sound.
I contemplated the approaching night,
While shadows, bunching closely, gathered ‘round.

I slowly turned my glance to look upstream.
At once, within my heart, congealed my blood.
An apparition worse than any dream,
Stood looking, nearly sheltered by the wood.

The largest one I had seen any where,
What seemed to be earth’s largest grizzly bear!


I backed in silence, making not one sound,
Intending now, to shield myself from view,
Behind the droop limbed willow tree, around
In back of which I knew some large trees grew,

Where I could temporary shelter find,
For I remembered, I had heard them say,
If ere a bear approached, the grizzly kind,
That one could surely save himself that way.

Step by slow step I backed, with my eyes locked
Upon the feeding, pawing monster form.
All else from my existence, my mind blocked,
Step by slow step, my mind filled with alarm.

My back touched something, how I gasped for air;
“Oh Lord! ”, I thought, another grizzly bear.


She faced downstream, where stood the first bear’s mate.
Her scream still echoed, nearly drowning mine.
We ran, together, at our fastest gait,
I boosted her, then clambered up a vine.

I stood upon one bough, and grasped above;
She did the same, and all was on display.
There was no way to hide a thing we had;
Too out of breath to turn the other way.

At last we caught our breath and looked around.
The bears had fled, upon our screams, I guess.
I climbed back down the vine that I had found,
And as I helped her down, I must confess,

We lingered, skin to skin, as time had stopped,
Standing together, where we both had dropped.


A moment later, we both heard the sounds,
Approaching up the stream, of hunting dogs.
The girl could recognize her brother’s hounds.
We went, each to their camp, and donned our togs.

She’d thought to bathe, where she had gone to fish.
I told her I had stopped to spend the night.
My eyes met hers. I said, “I only wish - -”
She said, “I know. Me too.” Then into sight,

The pack of bawling dogs, plus two young men.
A young man, John, lived in the town below.
She introduced me to her brother, Ben.
He said, “Come on Sis, we have got to go.”

In moments they had moved on down the stream,
And I was left behind, to wish and dream.