“Sonoran Sunset” by Robert Grebe
Grand Prize, 2014 Summer Fun Write Stuff Contest
by Stephanie Bradley
Against a blank, blue sky, the desert siren stands.
Stooped by years, and
Scarred by fires,
The saguaro endures in the vast desert lands.
A senna’s pods tremble at her ancient feet,
Stirred by a breeze into a rhythmic beat.
A woodpecker whispers a desert refrain,
As tympanic sages orchestrate a spirited strain.
The wind, grown stronger, flows from her top to her roots,
Transforming the giant into a massive flute.
Ocotillos dance in the rising heat,
While branches sway in a nearby mesquite.
Sudden shadows mask the power of the brilliant sun,
Being conjured by clouds from an oncoming storm.
Darkening skies inspire a wistful symphony
Composed of urgency, loneliness and melancholy;
Of too many dawns and too few rains;
Of too many changes and too much pain.
The song grows louder, an overture to bestow
Its measures, drawn from centuries of joy and woe;
A melody trills for safely nestled baby birds;
Laments cry to abuses, too frequently heard.
The vibrations and emotions penetrate to her core.
The intensity rises, then there’s change to the score;
Hopeful choruses resound, honoring those who treasure
The desert’s unique denizens, its beauty and splendor.
Shocks of thunder drum triumphant crescendos
As the tempest waters chum in turbulent flows.
The tumult of forces confuses the ear,
Worries the mind of dangers so near.
Then the wind grows still; the rain eases.
The song is silenced, and calm increases.
In the quiet,
refreshed,
the tall desert tree
Endures, as always, as it waits, patiently
For the next dawn, next dusk, and eternity.
Stephanie Bradley is a past winner of the The Peak’s Write Stuff Contest. She is a resident of Cave Creek.
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