Out of the Sonoran

Out of the Sonoran

When the iron bed

                Forged of the iron law

Affords neither refreshment

                Nor sleep, and pain flares

Like a blood red dawn,

                Space is created

In the unseen realms of the heart

                And of the spirit for

The Spirit to speak.  A reminder of

                Frailty, of sin, of dust.

The Wind stirs up clouds of glassy ashes

                Splintering the light of sun, moon, stars

Into crimson gemy flashes.

But out of the blazing glory

                Of Unapproachable Light, out of

Sunrise in the dun of sage and the desert

                Ochre of Zion’s arches

And the verdure of saguaro covering the Sonoran

Steps the daughter of Zion

                Black haired princess of the wilderness,

Long tresses drifting through her eyes,

                Dark and deep and cool as the

Pools of Heshbon, glory of Sihon

                Firstfruits of the promise

Yet to come, beyond the Jordan.

All in white, adornment knit by

                The vast, exacting, diligent hand of Love,

Pure Bride, adorned, bejeweled

                By and for the hands of the Crownless One,

Once and coming, mighty, King,

                Immortal, invisible, only wise. 

Nard and myrrh flow down the paths of the Wind

                The current of the drifting air

Fecund with the glittering motes, diamond dust

                Harbinger of the coming

Rain.