The story behind “To Karl”
As a poem, this one is very clumsy. As sentiment, it is very real. The memory really came, and Karl really said that.
The Summer camp was in August, 1949. The retreat was at the Varjrapani center in August, 1999. Both were near Santa Cruz.
At the end of the retreat we were asked to write/create something that expressed what the retreat meant to us. This poem was the result.
On my birthday I took Karl to the summer camp. It was still there. They treated me like royalty – not like the first time.
Just before we got there, I stopped at the side of the road and let Karl read the poem. By now I am sure he has forgotten.
Then we went into the camp and I had a chance to show him I wasn’t pushing him away. I was pushing away that angry and shamed little boy that spent his 7th birthday in the woods of Santa Cruz.