It was a wet winter in the desert
blushing forth in beautiful blooms
along the hills and on the mountains
as spring unfolded in the sunshine.
But the omen came: watch out for
a dry summer; all that vegetation
will wither into kindling for camp-
fires of giants to spread from north
to south, east to west and then the
monsoons and soon there will be
the instantaneous roar of dead timber
and debris rushing through the canyon’s
swimming holes and the snakes, coyotes,
javelina and bears will watch the
carnage from above the fray high in
the hills that predicted, fateful
day.