First to crawl out from underneath winter
a lizard shines
against the morning grass
as he moves from shade to shade
and a flash
to match that on his scales
cuts into the heights
where the mountain has arched
its back to bear
the season’s weight. An oriole
flies out of the sun
to the ocotillo’s many arms, lingering
between its kiss-red blooms
while the ridgeline sways
a little above and beyond
the day’s imagination
and beginning at the yellow
Brittlebush in flower
the sunlight climbs
until it hardens into rock.
