Desert Beauty

Oh desert I call out to you;

Your clear dry air reveals clarity of distant places my eyes see and hands touch;

Your quiet desolation so stark it screams to me;

Your hidden life to a casual observer is revealed to the patient;

Your dryness allows my whole body to breathe;

Your colorful mineral soils are not hidden by trees;

Your trails and roads offer access into respite;

Your biting plants and animals teach me how to respect others;

Your refreshing oasis sparkle and wink a playful laughter;

Your flash of flood and lightning flashes in my mind as an impressionistic painting;

Your sage and creosote out number the diamond stars in ink black skies;

Your snapshot images a pronghorn leap a tortoise snort a rock fall;

Your etchings of ancient others from early times past;

Oh desert I call out to you.

I dream of rain
I dream of gardens in the desert sand
I wake in vain
I dream of love as time runs through my hand

I dream of fire
Those dreams are tied to a horse that will never tire
And in the flames
Her shadows play in the shape of a man's desire

This desert rose
Each of her veils, a secret promise
This desert flower
No sweet perfume ever tortured me more than this

And as she turns
This way she moves in the logic of all my dreams
This fire burns
I realize that nothing's as it seems

I dream of rain
I dream of gardens in the desert sand
I wake in vain
I dream of love as time runs through my hand

I dream of rain
I lift my gaze to empty skies above
I close my eyes
This rare perfume is the sweet intoxication of her love