Today’s prompt is to write a poem that recounts a dream or vision, and in which a woman appears who represents or reflects the area in which you live.
Daemon of the Desert I disobeyed the first rule of hiking in the desert which is turn back when your water is half gone I hadn’t yet found the petroglyphs I wanted to photograph and so I continued until my bottles were dry thinking I still had one more in my backpack I was wrong I headed back toward the trailhead but it was warmer now no other hikers on the trail no shade at high noon my tongue dry my lips cracked and sore my arms red with sunburn I sit on the ground too tired to take another step and then I can’t remember—which way is out and then I see her shimmering in the sunlight dressed in white voile that flutters in the scalding breeze an aura radiates from her maybe she knows the way out maybe she has water I try to stand, but I can’t I try to call to her, but no sound escapes my lips and so I crawl the rocks cut my hands and knees she’s so far away I try but I can’t reach her and then nothing I wake as she presses a prickly stem against my lips a jelly-like substance squirts into my mouth it tastes bitter but soothes my parched tongue she breaks the stem and squirts again and again until I can finally whisper thank you she rubs the gel onto my face and my skin feels cool then she helps me to my feet we’re standing on a hill she points and I can see my car not so far away joy fills my heart I turn back toward her— but I am alone
©ARHuelsenbeck
ARHtistic License 