A Poetic Tour of Arizona
* * *
Ode to Arizona
The Desert — wears a Silence —
Too vast — for any Tongue —
Its Canyons — carve a Music —
By which the Stones — are sung —
The Mountains — lift their Foreheads —
Against a molten Sky —
The Cactus — keeps its Vigil —
While Seasons — wander by —
Tall Pines — recall the Winter —
With Snow — upon their Brows —
While Mesquite — in the Valley —
Hang Sunlight — on their Boughs —
The Rock — is sharp with Anguish —
The Petal — soft with Grace —
And Arizona — gathers —
All Worlds — in one Embrace —
* * *
Saguaro National Park
The Giants — guard the Desert —
With Arms — that pierce the Sky —
Their Shadows — stripe the Dustlands —
As Hours — wander by —
The Blossoms — crown their Silence —
The Moon — attends their Height —
And Time — becomes a Garden —
Of Thorn — and Silver Light —
* * *
Camelback Mountain
A Creature — carved of Granite —
Reclines — in Sun’s Embrace —
Its Hump — a solemn Profile —
Etched — upon the Space —
The Desert — lends its Stillness —
The Sky — its endless Dome —
And Camel — keeps its Posture —
A Monument — of Home —
* * *
The Praying Monk
A Figure — bent in Silence —
Against the desert Sky —
No Chapel — but the Sandstone —
No Hymn — but Wind — nearby —
The Mountain — keeps its Worship —
Unspoken — yet profound —
A Monk — of Stone — forever —
Kneels — upon the Ground —
* * *
Superstition Mountains
The Mountain — keeps its Secret —
Too perilous — to tell —
A Dutchman — lost his Treasure —
And vanished — in the Spell —
The Miners — left their Echo —
The Peralta — left their Bones —
The Canyon — holds Confessions —
Unwritten — in the Stones —
The Silence — is a Verdict —
The Shadows — are a Sign —
That Death — has walked these Ridges —
And claimed them — as Divine —
We feel — the Desert watching —
Its Breath — upon our Face —
A Haunted House — of Granite —
That Time — cannot erase —
* * *
Springtime in the Superstitions
The Desert — wears a Garland —
Of Blossoms — newly born —
A Yellow — on the Granite —
A Purple — on the Thorn —
The Petals — dance in Sunlight —
As if the Earth — were Gay —
Yet still — the Rock stands Steady —
Its Color — worn away —
The Ages — pressed upon it —
A Weight — of Ash and Bone —
While Poppies — flare like Candles —
Around a Tomb of Stone —
The Marigold — and Lupine —
Soft in Spring Breezes — Sway —
The Mountain — holds its Secrets —
The Flowers — hold the Day —
* * *
Four Peaks
Four Sentinels — in Azure —
Stand watch — above the Plain —
Their Crowns — are tipped with Winter —
Though Desert — Elsewhere lain —
They speak — in solemn Silence —
No Word — but Height — and Stone —
A Kingdom — of the Distance —
That Beauty — calls its Own —
* * *
The White Mountains
They rise — with Pines for Pillars —
And Meadows — cool with Rain —
A Refuge — from the Furnace —
Where Summers — lose their Pain —
The Peaks — are veiled in Winter —
Their Grandeur — deep, and wide —
The Mountains — guard their Kingdom —
Where Stars — and Tempests — bide —
* * *
The Salt River
It rises — from the Mountains —
Where Pines — and Waters meet —
It winds — through Desert Sunshine —
With Luster — at its Feet —
It shapes — a Canyon’s Echo —
It sings — through Stone and Sand —
It bears — the Wild Horses —
Across — a Thirsting Land —
* * *
The Gila River
It drifts — through Arid Valleys —
Its Current — thin, and slow —
It whispers — of Abundance —
That vanished — long ago —
It carries — Ghosts of Orchards —
And Fields — that once it knew —
It dwindles — into Silence —
A Thirst — the Desert drew —
* * *
Mogollon Rim
A Wall — of Pine and Granite —
Extends — beyond the Eye —
Its Edge — a sudden Ending —
Between the Earth — and Sky —
The Forest — stands in Verdure —
The Canyon — yawns below —
A Border — drawn by Nature —
Where Winds — forever go —
* * *
The Wide Arizona Sky
The Clouds — are vast Cathedrals —
That sail — a Sea of Blue —
Their Shadows — drift the Desert —
Like Ghosts — that wander through —
The Sky — is more than Heaven —
It presses — on the Land —
A Dome — of Light and Distance —
Measureless — it Spans —
* * *
Sedona
The Sandstone — burns Vermilion —
A Choir — of sacred Flame —
The Buttes — like lifted Altars —
No Worshipper — to name —
* * *
Lava River Cave
Beneath the Lava’s Remnant —
A Breath — of Winter stays —
While Pines — above are Singing —
Of Summer’s golden Days —
The Air — is cold with Ages —
The Stone — preserves the Chill —
A Secret — kept in Darkness —
That Time — is keeping still —
* * *
Meteor Crater
The Crater — ancient Wound —
A Scar — upon the Plain —
The Sky — once hurled a Fury —
And left — a hollowed Stain —
The Wind — rehearses Echoes —
The Rim — repeats the Tale —
Of Fire — that fell from Heaven —
And left — a Cosmic Trail —
* * *
The Painted Desert
The Earth — became a Tapestry —
Of Ochre — Rose — and Gray —
A Crimson — like a Secret Vein —
Ran faintly — through the Clay —
The Yellow — spread like Pollen —
The Violet — stratum Bruise —
The White — was Salt — or Memory —
The Wind — alone — could choose —
The Hills — were Stripes of Ages —
Each Layer — told its Tone —
A Chronicle — of Color —
Inscribed — in Dust and Stone —
The Sun — composed its Palette —
And laid it — on the Land —
A Painted — Desert — boundless —
Born of Nature — patient Hand —
* * *
Antelope Canyon
A River — carved in Scarlet —
A Passage — narrow, deep —
Where Sunlight — threads its Needles —
And Shadows — twist and leap —
The Walls — become a Lantern —
That flickers — gold and red —
A Chapel — built of History —
Where Light — and Wonder wed —
* * *
Grand Canyon
The Canyon — holds a Silence —
Too deep — for Breath — to fill —
Its Walls — like ancient Pages —
That Time — is writing still —
The Sun — ignites the Granite —
With Crimson — Gold — and Gray —
The Shadows — drift like Curtains —
That fold — themselves away —
Each Moment — paints another —
No Hue — remains the same —
The Landscape — is a Canvas —
Of Ever-shifting Flame —
The River — threads its Silver —
Through Umber — vast, and sheer —
An Empire — carved of Distance —
That Depth — makes Mortal — mere —
* * *