Wander Gently

 
            Wander Gently

        Wander gently
        through a Spring meadow
        in a desert land.
        
        Cherish a brief blossoming
        from the brilliant red poppy
        to each tiny, delicate, sunlit star and
        Purple thistles, blue flax, pinkish roses, all
        come bursting from rock
        and earth
        and everywhere
        where a seed might stray
        there is bloom.

Sandstone

        We walk in a valley
        surrounded by cliff walls carved
        with Nabotean caves
        and Roman edifices...

        Incredible architecture all
        soaring far beyond the reach
        of my outstretched hand
        as my grappling mind
        climbs up sheer pink,
        red and purple cliff faces:
        tombs and temples
        a place of trade.

        Light air filled rock
        that makes our path pliant,
        and crumbles as I reach down into it-
        dissolves as I lift a small soft stone:

        I show our young sons
        how to make
        sand from stone...

        And the youngest
        spends the rest of the day
        in this spectacular expanse
        of carefully sculpted stone
        
        veering towards rocks to crunch.

poem copyright ©2000 Anne Selden Annab