Student Perspectives: Desert Nights

Unwelcome,
Unwelcome--to the Jeep-filled roads, to your
Unkempt little trash pile loads
Unwelcome you foul little mouth talkers, you
Put-downers and cigarette throwers.
A flame--to the night.
Flame.
What--is a flame?
A toxic word, gossip to the crowd?
A left-out child while the other feels proud?
Things
Which hope to take down the desert sands
Things that cleanse the cryptic bonds
Things that kill the sagebrush grass, and shrubs
Things which kill with fire, and a flame.
So welcome, to the skill sets and the trees
Welcome to the desert nights and unwelcoming to
flame. The fire shall stay but a memory...

Welcome--to the desert night.
Welcome--to the crickets' lively chirps,
to the moonlight crested canyon cliffs,
and to an army of stars, shining from
but only lightyears away.
Welcome to an enchanted park of sights
the scampering field mice, pittering of bunnies,
and the faraway houndlike coyote's howls,
hoping--for something better
Welcome. To a book of smells--breathe
in, how deeply through your nose and pick up all the little notes--the cactus
flowers, the earthy tones of the kicked up sand from the pouncing owls above, and the smoldering fire--smoke traveling up to the 
heavens, leaving our world.
Feel the deep bark of the juniper trees, run your finger through the soil, and walk up to the tip-top of a rocky outcrop.
Do you feel that? the prideful feeling inside?
The feeling representing the crickets' chirps, the moonlight crested canyon cliffs, and an army of stars, shining from but only lightyears away...
Welcome to the enchanted park of sights
Welcome to a book of smells
Welcome to the playful array of touch
Welcome, you all, to the desert night.