“Swallows” by Benjamin Chee Chee (Of Ojibwa descent, this Canadian artist died at a very young age, 32.
I first became aware of his work 20 years ago and fall in love with his art.)
Why I live in Tucson, “. . . take one as needed”
The sky is more than blue,
it’s “Tucson blue”
as I walk the trails,
sometimes in pain,
but always convivial
in fellowship with nature
where it is strong
medicine in the air —
. . . take one as needed.
Landscapes draw inspiration,
subtle and complex
as an O’Keeffe painting,
everywhere you look
(with a trained eye)
stories of the past
can be heard
in your mind’s ear —
. . . take one as needed.
Allowing the mind
to enclose infinity
(yes, the mind can)
for the moment
to accommodate
all the sounds
all the smells
all observable images —
. . . take one as needed.
Diversity, a word
often heard when
describing the Sonoran desert
(the source of that concept)
and the purposes
all living things play
trying to be worthy
recipients of each breath —
. . . take one as needed.
Each day brings
an appreciation
of every moment,
that every second
does really count
as time builds moments
that will forever echo
off the mountains —
. . . take one as needed.
When not walking the trails
I continue learning,
learning about desert ecology
and the ways of the past
so that I can be part
of those people
who came before me
and sow their seeds —
. . . take one as needed.
Here we have city ways
and village ways,
yin and yang
creating a special blend
allowing those who
dream to live in between
the Tucson blue
and the desert night stars —
. . . take one as needed.
— kenne
