Violets...Dandelions And Drought Poem by David Whalen

My Front Yard…in Las Vegas Nevada

A hostile environment
A parched arid place
A Mars-like landscape
A few hardy weeds embrace

Dandelions struggle
For meager existence
Gripping dry, parched earth
With desperate persistence

undauntedly turning
Golden faces to the sun
Asking no quarter…
And Nature gives none

Almost unnoticed
In the early Spring breeze
Small timid blue blossoms
Barely rise to dandelions knees

This is my front yard
In a Drought stricken place
Where a few gilded dandelions
Maintain tenuous grace

As if standing sentinel
Over tiny violets of blue
Shepherds over sheep
Of cobalt hue

Lenticular clouds
devoid of rain
Rolling out of the red mountains
Tumbling o’er the plains

Days will grow longer
Nights will wane
The sun will grow stronger
And swallow the rain


And still the weary dandelions
Will stand strong and true
In unspoken communion
With tiny Violets of blue

Indian spirits, Dust devils
Botanic bravada
in my front yard…
In Las Vegas…Nevada