Poetry: The Desert

Life can be a desert all dry and harsh,
cracked earth like wrinkles
where once was a marsh.
Sagebrush, cactus, and Joshua trees
stretch far, as the eye can see,
dotting the landscape of that great sandy sea.
In the distance a hazy plateau,
prints of a rabbit escaping its foe.
The battle for life is real,
harsh and final without an appeal.
The sun too can be heartless and cruel,
shining and burning like a white jewel.
Silent and empty in its vastness it lies,
while supporting a multitude of lives.
Slow in its growth in its quest for gain,
while waiting and watching for the nurturing rain.