The Arroyo

Watercolour by David Chorlton

Memory’s a honeycomb
in the arroyo, all sweetness with a sting
as it winds
with crumbling walls
and a thread of sky. The way in
is a stone, the way out
a pair of wings. The mountain opens
to receive it; shadow and light
moving rock aside
as it follows
a course mapped once in the stars
where past and present
cast a single shadow.

David Chorlton lives in Phoenix and enjoys a view of the desert mountain that occupies its space surrounded by the city. He has had an unusual year in which watching the local wildlife has been a help in his recovery. Read other articles by David.