Load

to ease your burden
I’ll stand by your side a while
and shoulder your load

distant clouds-
fences in need
of mending

Sand

an aging lighthouse
stands sand blasted and buried
by the walking dunes

frigid winds-
the predawn
desert frost

Moonlight

a glowering moon-
the creak of a rocking chair
in an empty house

moonlit shadows-
your hand
pale in mine

Ashes

high flying embers
remnants of a prior life
slowly turn to ash

distant thunder-
lightning strikes
a joshua tree

Waiting

staring at the floor
scuffed and worn beneath my seat
from those in my shoes

dawn breaks-
outside the
waiting room

Shadows

a quick glimpse into
the recesses of my soul
is all I can bear

sinister clouds-
reflections of
black water

Haze

families asunder-
buzzards circling high above
the southwest desert

riding the smoke-
wild horses
in the distance

Dusk

as venus rises
the sun on the horizon
sets the trees aglow

western fires-
too soon dowsed
by a deluge of stars

Web

she turns a shy smile-
a web of hairline cracks form
in his tough facade

cobwebs-
broken plaster
litters the floor

Manifest Destiny

wide open prairies
the promise of a new life
in every acre

covered wagons-
homesteads built
on sacred land