Dessert in the Desert

Feet burning from sand,
Eyes watering and blurred
The sky is blending into itself,
Not much is clear.

Sand is painfully whipped into the air,
Lashing into my eyes and punishing my skin
Changing this landscape
Into an ever shifting land.
Even the ground we travel over
doesn’t stay in one place for long.

A mirage appears in the distance,
This oasis is kin to none
Dessert has appeared in the desert,
What a treat for one who’s had none.

A strawberry sundae floats above the afternoon moon
Banana splits line the horizon
Forget water, my dehabilitating thirst
Can only be quenched by the absolute impossible.
A feast for one, amongst bold snakes soothing my fear with their rattles
And large cacti threatening me from coming too near,
Afraid I might steal whatever water is stored in their bodily trunks.

I get ready to taste just one bite,
For my thirst to be met with sharp sweetness,
Smiling fruits to brighten my day.
But just as quickly as this enticing picture appeared,
It is swept away into the wind
It’s teasing memory hovering over the vast line of sky.

Maybe I’ll settle for something a little less this time,
I think as a desert owl sings me to sleep,
Its calming sounds soothe all fear out of me
The temperature plummets and I snuggle beneath my blanket
My tired limbs succumbing to much needed recovery.

Maybe tomorrow I will meet a friend,
Who will treat me to dessert in the desert
Maybe I’ll forget which is deserving of two Ss
And realize that the treat I’ve been waiting for
Has been here all along

This seemingly empty space is teeming with life,
My eyes feast on the beauty that is present here,
The wildlife I am blessed to share this space with
Are better companions than any fancy dinner party.
Goodnight, sweet sweets of the desert.
Tomorrow I’ll save the extra S for you.