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The Face of the Desert
.
Beneath the eyebrow of a rock crag
X’s cross the sky
fresh green cubes of hay dot fields in thirst
and above that
the pink cliffs with their deep faces.
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East of Zion, at the Sevier River
.
Green top hair
white cliffs
just east of Zion.
.
Bubbling slow growth spouts
spread like pox over the landscape
until small knuckles pull up from the green meadow to expose the natural clay walls
sculpted low berms of the Sevier River.
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At the End of The Narrows
.
A sand carved cave rises
to a spiraling ridge above
one massive shadow
surrounding a slim volume of light.
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Photos by Americas Wonderlands & Zion Narrows Photos.
I was too worried my camera may fall in.
Observation Point
.
Faces of the sand dunes cry
ancient storms cemented rock into sandstone
the sky opens between the canyon walls
this temple of eternity.
.
The rock wears away
the constant feet making a deep sand path
there is a blooming cactus
a burning smell of rosemary.
.
Then, all of a sudden, you step into the sky
so blue
such an uninterrupted horizon of canyon edges
the sheer cliff face
other worn rock where the river lulled around
our hollowed steps
the raised scars of Cocino Rock embedded
in soft sandstone.
One cannot tire of such majesty.
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The Narrows
.
The Narrows
a slot canyon beyond the Temple of Sinawa
the breath-taking sheer wall rises above
and beyond me.
The California Condor squawks and circles above
the sky cracks open
more every bend I turn
the high-waisted water
the rumble of stone moving
with the current and jostle of the seeker.
.
The scale of humanity diminishes here
it’s amazing that this Heaven exists
petals fall through the morning light
leaves float down to the Virgin River
canyon base where I wade.
.
The smooth weeping line of one waterfall thin
falls down a clean wall slanted to the high plateau.
.
Flash floods of the past
filed high ledges with rocks the size of my head.
.
Emerald pools gathered in the low hollows
green and sparkling as the sun was about to
perch on the top of the ridge.
.
The day unshaped by fear or any conscious reason
just the narrow and recently carved walls
that is, only 100 million years ago.
.
The last turn, the colorful lava rock at my feet
the red stripes, the gold buried beneath small rapids
the orange layers lying on their side face
shuffled by the stream and occasional hiker
into this dimension of Zion.
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In the Garden, Under the Eaves
.
Fairies fly about the forest
to pull back draperies of mimosa lashes
small pods that open four to five flowers
With long delicate stamens
fuchsia lips, orange tentacles
coming from the silky yellow petals.
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Ancient Rock
Zion, the great parting of earth
formed by the tremendous upheaval of time.
Lava falling to the Virgin River
an embracing offer
to the sun.
Categories
Seam in the Desert
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Come to Zion
.
Come to Zion
the checkerboard mesa
the sound of wind and river, melodic and calming
like living next to an ocean
but here in the wide lush seam opening in the desert.
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The Show – Vegas 2012
.
The water and a glass-lined desert protect me
from the harsh fade of heat.
.
The flashing heat mirrors across faces
the commercial drum beat strums
hot skin and thumping hearts
pounding out a healthy tune.
.
People come to Vegas to be someone else
step into studded slippers, swing through crystal curtains at The Cosmopolitan
oval ceiling float over black jack tables
gold tassels pull back an open dangling atrium.
You may swim from between the glistening towers at the Monte Carlo, and come into a world built for enjoyment, an open show of ‘life’ on the streets, just as real as
diamonds floating in the desert.
~
Photos from the blog of Christine Astorino via The Cosmopolitan Las Vegas.
Design Team via Wiki: The Cosmopolitan’s design team is led by Friedmutter Group as executive architect, with Arquitectonica as the design architect for the building’s themed exterior. The building is engineered by DeSimone Consulting Engineers. The Interior design team includes the Friedmutter Group, The Rockwell Group, Jeffrey Beers, Adam Tihany, and Bentel & Bentel.
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Just North of Vegas
.
The desert range lays out
huge river casts of ancient waves
the brightness washes out the landscape color
of the swirling hill tops
well-worn rock in quilted patterns
raised scars, as the railcar divides the view
between horizon to sky.
What caused the desert?
The beautiful girls with jeweled eyes serving dinner?
