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camp protocol 115

PLEASE DO: make lasting

friendships    ///    share    secrets    of

category 2 or lower /// make up your

own  handshakes  ///  talk  about  the

towns   you   are   from   ///   say   pet's

names lovingly /// play non sexually

charged  games  of  would  you  rather

///  show  affection  through  side  hugs

///  write  nice  notes  to  one  another

focused    on    how    someone    has

changed  you  for  the  better  ///  please

do share your desserts if sweet things

are  not  for  you  ///  please  do  say  this

dessert  is  sweet  and  so  are  you  in  a

friendly flirty jest /// pick flowers for

one  another  to  be  left  anonymously

///  ask  if  things  were  different  could

we  be  together  ///  please  answer  that

question  truthfully  ///  say  you  are

very  special  to  me  ///  say  you  are

very  very  special  to  me  ///  answer

how  special  with  any  metaphor  of

class  3  or  lower  ///  look  up  at  the

clouds  moving  in  and  say  that  looks

like  rain  ///  please  say  I  sometimes

like  rainy  days  ///  say  actually  I  find

them cozy ///

 

PLEASE  DO  NOT:  notice  the  ways

one  another's  bodies  are  changing  in

a mixed gender setting /// do not play

a  game  called  nervous  //////  whose

point  is  to  start  at  the  other  player’s

ankle /// and then to move your hand

slowly  up  towards  their  sex  ///  an

inch  at  a  time  ///  asking  are  you

nervous now /// are you nervous now

///  are  you  getting  nervous  now  ///

what  about  now  ///  are  you  nervous

now /// do not read any poems aloud

after the sun has gone down /// don't

ever   throw   rocks   at   windows   to

awaken  your  only  true  love  ///  make

no  outward  vocal  signs  of  devotion

/// no promises that you would rather

die   than   not   be   together   ///   don't

write  your  true  love’s  name  on  a

ribbon then tie it around the ankle of

any   song  bird   another   camper   is

nursing  back  to  health  ///  do  not  ask

what  would  you  do  if  I  kissed  you

right now /// do not ask which do you

think  are  bigger  my  hands  or  your

butt  ///  my  hands  or  your  breasts  ///

my  hands  or  your  hips  ///  do  not

skinny   dip   ///   do   not   swim   in

underwear  instead  of  a  bathing  suit

///   or   walk   out   from   the   woods

spinning    your    underwear    around

your    finger    while    fully    dressed

implying  that  there  is  only  one  layer

between    anyone    else    and    your

nakedness  ///  do  not  blow  kisses  ///

pantomime  female  on  male  oral  sex

in    a    mixed    gender    setting    ///

pantomime  male  on  female  oral  sex

in    a    mixed    gender    setting    ///

pantomime  male  on  male  oral  sex  in

a mixed gender setting /// pantomime

female on female oral sex in a mixed

gender setting /// do not hug or dance

touching  your  whole  length  front  to

front /// do not hug or dance touching

your  whole  length  (male)  front  to

(female)  back  ///  do  not  call  one

another   virgins   as   though   saving

yourself for the person you truly love

is  shameful  and  not a  healthy  choice

to make at such a young age /// when

you   are   concerned   and   confused

about your perfectly normal

changing   bodies   which   should   be

kept hidden and secret at all times ///

Mikey Swanberg holds an MFA from the University of Wisconsin - Madison, and is the author of the chapbook Zen and the art of Bicycle Delivery (Rabbit Catastrophe Press). He is a recipient of the Jane Vance prize for poetry, and lives in Chicago. 

 
mikey swanberg
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