I want to strip away my skin
Peel back the layers like an onion
I want to be exposed
To be reborn, purity and light
I want to start someplace new
The desert, stark and dry
Where few things grow
To survive in soundless darkness
In brutal, blinding heat and glare
I could learn something here
To be strong and survive
Despite predators seeking
My soft, liquid center
I could develop prickles
Like native cactus
I could learn to last
Through year-long droughts
Reserving my body’s water
I could learn the patience of waiting
For the fleeting seasons of rain
The monsoon’s flooding wind and rain
I could learn the patience of waiting
For this, blooming cactus flower.

08/23/2002

Posted on 08/23/2002
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