Photo by Mish; Used by permission; All Rights Reserved
Dried sky looks
down on dusty
river bed.
My shoes scuff
along and kick
up tiny, grey
clouds.
Those cumulus
off in the distance
are mere mirages.
They look like
something
could rain from
them but nothing
much ever does.
No, don’t bother
looking to the
heavens for
respite from
this parchment
paper landscape.
This is the way
of these parts.
It looks like what
I imagine a barren,
faraway planet might
mimic…a panorama
of desolation.
What alien life-
forms can survive
such harsh elements?
Only the most
attuned who can see
how life can thrive
within this perfect
balance and those
who don’t waste
precious resources.
Join us at dVerse Poets with our host Mish who inspires us to write on the Southwest.
Bodhirose's Blog 
whimsygizmo
/ May 3, 2016LOVE this:
“parchment
paper landscape.”
Perfection.
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navasolanature
/ May 3, 2016You certainly create a very dried out feel with your words.
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Linda Kruschke
/ May 3, 2016I also love “this parchment / paper landscape.” Great descriptive language throughout this.
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Sanaa Rizvi
/ May 3, 2016Those cumulus
off in the distance
are mere mirages.
That’s an incredible image. Powerfully written 🙂
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Grace
/ May 3, 2016I admire creatures and plants who can survive the harshness of the land and dry river bed ~ I imagine it would look like an alien planet to those who are not used to the barren landscape ~
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Mish
/ May 3, 2016“This is the way of these parts”….I like this summary. It really does feel like a different world. Breathtaking but not a force to be reckoned with. I always enjoy the shape/format of your poetry. 🙂
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Glenn Buttkus
/ May 3, 2016De & Linda nailed my fave line; yes, we do realize that without rain & water, any alien landscape will be a moon or Mars, or otherwise. I had to live & work on the CA desert a couple of years before I began to appreciate its subtlety & beauty.
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kanzensakura
/ May 3, 2016“This is the way of these parts”….Indeed. You nailed it all in this line – the alien beauty, the hope of water, survival…..gorgeous piece.
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Truedessa
/ May 3, 2016I think the landscape has a beauty of it’s own. Dry yet, life survives as it is their natural habitat. I imagine they do like it when the sky opens up and quenches their thirst.
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Björn Rudberg (brudberg)
/ May 4, 2016I do love those cloud that never give rain.. Truly that’s so much like desert.
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kim881
/ May 4, 2016I like the way you link the desert to alien life forms – the desert is totally alien to me and your poem has painted a great picture for me.
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Bryan Ens
/ May 4, 2016Those final lines elevated this poem from description of desert to metaphor for how we treat this earth. Nicely done!
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lillian
/ May 4, 2016I’m scuffing with you here — and love the “parchment paper landscape” words! Your words are a painting here.
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lynn__
/ May 4, 2016Yes, “parchment paper landscape” is my favorite line too…and I admire the perfect, intended balance of natural environments.
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Sherry Marr
/ May 4, 2016You have painted the desert to perfection. There is life, if the eye is attuned. I love what you say at the end about not wasting precious resources, even more important in such a landscape.
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Patti
/ May 4, 2016“Parchment paper landscape…” Perfect!
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writersdream9
/ May 4, 2016Yes! That is the Southwest. The grit (pun intended) that it takes to live there! Awesome write!
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Victoria C. Slotto
/ May 4, 2016This year I didn’t see a lizard and only one road runner. I fear for “my” desert and yet, I’m one of the ones to blame. So important to manage those resources.
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silentlyheardonce
/ May 6, 2016Without the photo I could see the pictures your created with your words.
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gapawa
/ June 21, 2016I love desolation.
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Bodhirose
/ June 21, 2016Well then, this could be your place! 🙂 Thanks for coming by.
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fpdorchak
/ June 22, 2016Great imagery! There are a couple of great stanzas in here, but this one really hit me:
“Only the most
attuned who can see
how life can thrive
within this perfect
balance and those
who don’t waste
precious resources.”
Nicely done, Gayle! The fascination of desolation!
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Bodhirose
/ June 22, 2016Thanks for your visit, FP…I appreciate that. Yes, desolation is fascinating; I guess because we humans want to figure out how we can “conquer” it or find ways to exist within it.
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fpdorchak
/ June 22, 2016…or are fascinated by what can live in so little…what exists with so little….
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Bodhirose
/ June 22, 2016Yes…that too.
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Bodhirose
/ June 22, 2016So true…
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