Category: vacation

I make this dry, dry observation:
The rain stops. Also my vacation.

by Ray Romine Saturday, June 10, 1950

“We shall travel to the ocean,” .
Daddy says, “Get things in motion–
We’ll sun and swim, and we shall play
In sand and waves, and kick salt spray,
And watch the tides or our toy ship;
And laugh at flying gulls that dip
For all their meals. And if we can,
We’ll get some tattooed sailor man
To tell us tales of sailing fun–
Of where he’s been and what he’s done.
So shake a leg, mate, – don’t be slow–
Anchors aweigh and off we go!”

(It sounds like fun, I have a notion,
Though I have never SEEN an ocean!)

by Ray Romine Friday, January 9, 1953

Mother: “I prefer the shore.”
Brother: “Mountains. Shore’s a bore.”
Daughter: “Dance and skate a bit.”
Father: “Thanks. I’d rather sit.”

Why discuss it anymore?
Pack up, children, for the shore.

by Ray Romine Wednesday, June 20, 1951

Between the grips, amid debris,
Here go the kids, my wife and me,
To search for something new? Instead,
We’re after fun, good food, a bed,
A place to eat and shave and comb,
And other things we have at home.

by Ray Romine Friday, March 13, 1953

A glimpse at my car will attest
That I have travelled through the west:
Yosemite and Yellowstone
In lurid colors there are shown;
Grand Canyon, Tetons, Hoover Dam.,
Have seen me come, and look, and ‘lam.
This windshield section here is leased
By pictures from the north and east:
Michigan, Maine and Vermont
Saw me on last summer’s jaunt;
Ontario–and shut my mouth ,
For right beside it is the south,
And cotton fields and Georgia Tech
Show where I went on ‘5O’ s trek.

The time has come to call a halt!
Not that the scenery is at fault;
Not that I miss my bed and table;
Not that the old car isn’t able;
Not that I’m one whose interest flickers:
I just can’t see out for the stickers.

by Ray Romine Wednesday, October 31, 1951

Time again to wonder where
We shall spend two weeks this summer.
Or shall we lengthy trips forswear,
Pay the butcher and the plumber,
And vacate here at home, decorous,
While they–{with their dough}–travel for us?
{It’s their dough!}

by Ray Romine Monday, March 20, 1950

“Let’s go!” says the family, and I say, “Go WHERE?”
“Destination’s no object”, they say, “Anywhere”.
Wait’ll Florence doffs her apron and dons her war paint,
Then take us, dear Chevvy, some place that we ain’t!

“I don’t wanna stay home here”, I hear Sandy say;
“Where are we going, dear Daddy, today?
Just wait’ll I drag me a comb through my hair,
And take me, dear Pater, just any-old-where.”

When I ask ’em, “Where to?” they answer, “Aw, g’wan,
Just so we go hither and thither, and yon.”
I hear the clear plea of my Mrs. and Miss,
“Just take us, O Father, someplace besides THIS.”

I fear I’m a flop as a father, all right,
When home’s just a place where we end up at night.
We don’t care WHERE we go, as we climb in the car–
Just so it’s no place where we presently are!

by Ray Romine Sunday, June 20, 1943

If the fish don’t bite,
It’s quite all right–
I won’t have to clean ’em by lantern-light.

by Ray Romine Friday, July 20, 1951

If one can ever love civilization
It’s when one’s back from one’s vacation.

by Ray Romine Tuesday, January 16, 1951

Vacation they call it!
Look forward? Not I!
The wife’s bought the paint,
And that look’s in her eye.

Both bedrooms? The kitchen?
I joke, I burlesque
(Except over relaxing,
Once back, at a desk).

by Ray Romine Thursday, June 30, 1949