The Desert Poem by Jared Carter

Prolonged exposure to extremes of sun and heat can cause madness, even death, yet there is said to exist one group of nomads who roam the desert unceasingly. Its members have never been studied; only one thing is known about them.

Before leaving each campsite they mix quantities of sand with colors extracted from native wildflowers, and spread out a series of vast, intricate patterns. Such creations are obscured by the wind within minutes after the tribesmen ride away.

The purpose of these designs is unclear. Thought to be prehistoric in origin, they have never been sketched or photographed. Over the years, the wish to examine them has lured a number of expeditions onto the desert. Their fate is uncertain, for none has ever returned.

Certain adventurers are said to have withstood the heat and mirages until they have stumbled across dunes streaked with faint colors. Of these, a few are alleged to have survived, and to have pushed on into even more inhospitable regions.

According to legend, perhaps once each century a lone explorer manages to come face to face with the nomads - if indeed it can be assumed that such a group of wanderers even exists. It is far more likely that all those who venture upon the desert perish without exception.


First published in Flying Island.