The Desert Poem by Juan Olivarez

Look to the misty mountains,
that rise up so far away.
Look through the purple curtain,
that brightens with the coming day.
Gaze through the heat waves shimmering,
rising from the desert sands,
gaze at Dust Devils fiercely swirling,
tearing angrily through the land.
Ravens and Hawks, flying high,
give the Devil a wide berth,
staying in their own piece of the sky,
gliding above the burning Earth.
Squirrels and mice, even the snakes,
head for burrows underground.
Rabbits and lizards pull up stakes,
not till twilight will they be found.
The fierce and unforgiving heat,
puts all the denizens to flight.
They wait until the sun retreats,
to finally come back into sight.
And with the evening, the cooling breeze,
slices the heat like a Bowie knife.
And it is gone fast as you please,
the desert has returned to life.

5/16/10 29 palms ca.