The beauteous days of summer were here at last,
And the primetime of nature was coming so fast!

We sat on the porch, watching a lazy day go by,
With no interesting views, to gladden our eyes.

Then one of us said a hiking trip was needed,
We friends agreed on it, as the sun receded.

We had decided on the beautiful, Yellowstone Park,
For hikes in the daytime, and camping after dark!

As we packed, our excitement became quite palpable,
And we bought new hiking gear, so to be fashionable.

As nature avidly follows each season's trends,
In colors of high fashion, that clash and blend!

We eagerly waited, until the departure date came,
And we set out early, at the sun's yellow flame.

When we got there, we hiked a great many miles,
At even campfire, we supped, sporting weary smiles.

Like the moon's bright haze mimics radiant day,
Or the nocturnal dreamers, who come out to play!

On the next day, we hiked much farther than before,
I took off a shoe as we rested, for my foot was sore.

My friends were a distance away, admiring blooms,
And I was inhaling deeply of fragrant, forest fumes!

When all of a sudden, a bellow broke the stillness,
I shot like an arrow to my feet, feeling illness.

Then I saw the grizzly bear, in a premature rage,
Her cub emerged from bushes near me-such a cute age!

It rolled and frolicked, then nibbled green grass,
As if revelling in its youth, before it should pass!

The bear rushed at me, in grim, insurmountable fury,
So, I scrambled up the tree I was under, in a hurry!

The tree I was now in, was too small for her to climb,
But, tall and stout enough for her to lose her mind!

The bear waited for hours, then it finally went away,
But, I was much too frightened to come down, anyway!

And I sat and wondered, where were all of my friends?
Sometimes, when trouble comes, the friendship ends!

Lying across two limbs, I was able to go to sleep,
So, I toured the starry night, in the sandman's jeep.

Next morning, I crept from the tree, very cautiously,
Quite achy and sore, and quite elated to be free!

I decided I'd go home, after I put my shoe on again,
But, the cute cub must've taken it back to their den.

After I had wearily walked for an enormous distance,
I saw the bear and cub a ways off, and I grew tense!

Although having keen smell, bears' vision isn't good,
So I grew as still as the trees, that graced the wood.

When they finally went away, I nearly fainted for joy,
Like the first bloom of spring is splendour's envoy!

After going more miles, I saw a clearing, near a cliff;
I was resting there, peacefully, until I heard a sniff!

Dreading the cruel moment, I reluctantly looked around,
And there was that mean ole bear, sniffing the ground!

At the edge of those rocky cliffs, I said my farewells,
And with her cub in tow, she charged, with awful yells!

Just before she reached me, I frantically jumped aside!
She tripped and fell off the cliff, with her cub besides!

She was in the lake far below, looking hurt and sad,
The two broken limbs beside her, was why she felt so bad.

She began swimming away, with a splashing, happy cub,
Seeming for all the world, like a most adorable cherub!

That ole bear didn't come back, so I made it home again,
Pleased enough to frolic in warm, midnight summer rain!

Like the rainbow that waits at blurred edges of gloom,
Or the colorful sunset, sitting in the presence of moon!