Utah Morning

Slant rock faces of sandstone kings

become gilded by morning light. 

Silhouettes against blue sky

clothed in robes of dusty ochre 

tucking shadows in crevice pockets. 

The day whispers-

here's a secret, here's a mystery

held within the tiniest pebble

the drop of rain, the swallow's nest

the footprint, the lizard, the raven.

Here's a place where earth creaked,

heaved, squeezed, folded, molded

layer upon layer of mineral sand

varnished smooth by wind fingers

in sculpture tethering a fragile tree.

Here's a place where river glitters. 

Sun stars crown waves

The ethereal entourage dances downstream

where flickery sparks flash, fade and

mercurial water kisses timeless stone.

The Wild Hairdresser

my eyes walk the circles

of her curved bark bumps.

fibrous tree breasts nippled

where small branch babies

once suckled heartwood.

mother, sister strong survivor

long roots reach deep dirt

ringed torso reaches skyward

immoveable but her crown

lifted, blown, rinsed, dried.

winds brush and caress

green leaves and straw nests.

the wild hairdresser is tireless

flinging a red bow to the sky

where it opens wings and flies.