Desert vistas in words and photos

Poem by Karen R. Sanderson

All photos by John Steiner

Desert Canvas

Canyon de Chelly

A stranger’s first glance at a sandpaper land
To the untrained eye so stark
They think our God forgot to wave His generous hand.
But go within the seeker’s slow embark:

Skyline Park, Buckeye, AZ

Touch and venture forth upon the endless expanse
And excavate where ancestral cultures fade.
Explore the cliff mystery’s romance
And lose your step in ruins adobe made

Montezuma’s Castle

Hear the insistent flutter of looming raptors’ wings
Spooking lizards under rocks of ginger veil
Bringing a prick to jack-rabbit springs
As roadrunners skitter to quick avail

Harris Hawk on the Hunt

See the sapphire skies on copper-penny peaks subsist
Sleeping mantle sprinkled with heaven’s dreamy eyes
From a yawning dawn’s foggy mists
To awestruck travelers this vista lies

Buckeye Sunset

Desert blooms in lemons tart and peaches warm
Meadow hues blushed and painted wild
Beware the sly and patient cactus’ unforgiving thorn
Unsuspected, drawn to their scent, beguiled

Brittlebush and Hedgehog

The moon rises from amethyst mountain cloak
Winds howl denouncing the mesa’s plateau breeze
Arid powder of lost, wandering animals, now bones,
Summer dust awaits the overnight freeze.

Moonlight

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Desert Sunset

Sunset at South Mountain

Saguaro National Park near Tucson

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John Steiner is a traveler, writer, aviator, drone operator, and avid photographer. A photo fanatic from a young age, John now shares his travel experiences and photographs via Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, and on his blog. 

Selfie on South Mountain

John’s blog is at http://www.photobyjohnbo.com.

You can find his photo page on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/PhotoByJohnbo.

He is also on Twitter at https://twitter.com/photobyjohnbo and on

Flickr at https://www.flickr.com/photos/photobyjohnbo.

Little Zombie

Zombie Eyes by Karen R. Sanderson

Little zombie, you think you’re stylish? 

Blood drippin’ down your shirt.

With your herky-jerky, lumbering lurch.

Ain’t ‘gonna get us, we’re on alert. 

Little zombie, right next door,

Tearing through their chain link fencing. 

Banging down the neighbor’s entry. 

Your inhuman strength is oh-so frightening!

Little zombie, you’re so scary.

Are those brains, gray and mushy,

Spilled upon your dirty feet? 

Don’t look now, your toes are squishing.

What yellow fangs you’re a baring. 

Gaping mouth, you’re getting anxious.

Baseball bats don’t knock you down. 

We’ll have to raid the gun collection. 

See my boy, he’s packing heat. 

He’ll use his gun to make you dead.

To his shoulder, butt stock goes, 

Oh little zombie, where’s your head? 

* * *

Caveat – You should never point any weapon at any person

– living or undead –

and should use a weapon on a zombie

only when absolutely necessary. 

Summer Haiku

Delicious taffy 

Corner of the worn boardwalk

Smooth chewy goodness. 

Fun summer pastime 

Crack of bat at plate and cheers 

Baseball up and out. 

Baked feet blistering

Bubbling shimmer on black top

Where are my flip flops?

For more haiku, free verse, limericks, samples of my funny bone, and both joyous and sad memories of family, see my collection of poetry, No Boundaries.

Would you like to add your own summer haiku below?

Spring Haiku

Black spots punctuate

Lady bug fluttering red

Teensy feet teek teek.

Bees bumble along 

Garden smorgasbord buffet 

Slurping sweet nectar.

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You can find these short poems and more haiku for the seasons in my collection, No Boundaries.

Add your own spring haiku in your response!