The Savage Land Poem by Juan Olivarez

It seems so very long ago,
That I left the savage land.
Purple mountains all in a row,
And the Mojaves burning sands.

Creosote and Cholla everywhere,
And coyotes howling half the night.
The desert wind hot through my hair,
And the desert sun so bright.

It truly is a savage land,
But there is beauty all around.
I held a sidewinder in my hand,
Twenty miles from the nearest town.

And there is gold in them thar hills,
The white quartz does abound.
It is a mans land no fancy frills,
Nothing but wasteland for miles around.

I learned to love the savage land,
I learned all it's secrets well.
High on a mountain I used to stand,
And my racing heart would try to quell.

A part of my heart, will now remain,
Within the desert where I used to stand.
And deep within me I feel the pain,
For having left my savage land.

7/23/10 Alton Texas