The Arizona Desert

 

 

 

The Arizona Desert

even at high noon

i cannot face this barren field:

the sun, which cremated the dead

and left only white bones,

is still bright as the Inca's

there a crow spreads his wings--

his wings really black

and his beak really red

cactus endured a long dry year

with scarce summer showers;

birds and chipmunks build their homes inside

indians make jellies

from the cautus flowers

and God happily lays out a silver mine

under this cactus field

In the New Mexico Desert

 

 

 

 

In the New Mexico Desert

a big shadow of two wings

on my way

proves

there are living things

on this empty land

yes, a strange river may flow

on the horizon

and

an indian village may be there

fortunately,

evening comes very slowly

and

light from a far village

comforts me

like a star's

now real thick darkness creeps

into the desert

but the sky is still blue

as in the sea

God draws a line

where the sky is meeting the desert,

as a carpenter

i wonder whether he is an indian