CRY OF THE DESERT
There was a desert who called to me
On a sultry, summer night
Alone I went, into the dark
With not so much as a light
I'd left the desert when daylight came
And she cried out for my return
With pangs of desire she struck a fire
That to my core yet burns
I recall the saguaros swiping at me
With spiny, willowy arms
Night birds took flight and rustled the brush
From a place where nothing had been
Cholla cactus sprang to life
They grew eerie, comical features
Then went jumping about in chaotic style
Dancing with other night creatures
I was drunk by the scent of fear in the night
Ravenous for what was there
Amber lights bounced across the desert floor
And turned tall, lighted towers in the air
Then they cast a mirage and became
A blazing city on water so fair
The full moon sat down on top of a hill
I felt like I could touch it
Its fire was soft and left me breathless
It lighted my path in the dark
Drenched in sweat as I took it all in
I was grounded to this land
Then Desert reached out as if to lead
She took me by the hand
With one fell-swoop she spread
The color of red and she
Filled up the sand
I stood in awe and disbelief
Of all the things I'd spied
When I couldn't think anymore
I sat down and I cried
The moon fell down
The sun rose up
And knew I'd stayed too long
But again when dusk neared
All I wanted to hear
Was Deserts next
Terrifying song
About this poem
I first wrote this in 2006 then lost it. However, it remained in the recesses of my mind. It is about a period of time in my life from 1991-2003 during which I embraced the time spent in the Arizona desert with my boyfriend. When I wrote the poem, I compiled all of the experiences into one night.
Written on May 15, 2017
Submitted by CindyG on September 05, 2021
Modified on March 05, 2023
- 1:23 min read
- 6 Views
Quick analysis:
Scheme | ABCB DXXX AXXE XFXF BG HGDG XXXC EIJI JAI XKHK XXL XXXL |
---|---|
Closest metre | Iambic tetrameter |
Characters | 1,324 |
Words | 275 |
Stanzas | 12 |
Stanza Lengths | 4, 4, 4, 4, 2, 4, 4, 4, 3, 4, 3, 4 |
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"CRY OF THE DESERT" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 13 Jun 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/108658/cry-of-the-desert>.
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