Beneath a rust-colored mountain, lava once raged
Its molten core splashing violently
Ready to erupt and destroy a desert plain
In its wake
It would dot the earth with porous black stone
Carving canyons into the dirt
Erasing scrub brush and sage
Decimating creatures who had no choice but to either die or evolve.
We set out on foot into these ruins, these landmarks, these fossils
The taste of love on our lips but still slightly too sweet to be spoken aloud
Here, I watch you scramble across chapparal, all boyish enthusiasm and glee.
You see a jack rabbit leap in front of you
The dog digs in puddles, muddy water spraying like caramel diamonds in the sun.
We see the glittering confetti of people of the past
Obsidian flakes aglow, glimmering, black shards of volcanic glass
This is all ours for the taking.
You ask me to think of this moment when it comes full circle in the future
And I take note of what it feels like to be
You, head down, blue eyes focused
Me, crouched, feeling the presence of artisans and lore.
You, determined, kind, enraptured.
Me, determined, kind, adored.
And though we don’t find what we thought we were looking for
We find so much more.
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