Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, AT THE MOUTH OF A CANYON, by R. W. DE BERRY


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

AT THE MOUTH OF A CANYON, by                    
First Line: I came forth from the canyon and paused
Last Line: To the west, in his journey unending.
Subject(s): Canyons


I came forth from the canyon and paused.
At my feet the grey plain
Glided away to the river;
The desolate grey plain, wild and forbidding.

A sinuous black-spotted lizard
Whipped to the cover of shadows;
Fierce shadows in sinister cactus.
A wind from the canyon behind me
Leaped out and pale dust-forms flew westward.

Across the dark river high altars of mountains
Blurred smokily there from the aisle of the canyon,
With a sunset of flame for a back-drop of glory;
Beneath a baldachin of sage-colored clouds
Edged with a bright-burnished silver
That moltenly merged into gold;
Casting faint reflections
Spread fan-wise across the far sky.

I felt then, suddenly new,
And at the same time strangely old.
My thoughts, turning inward, trod slowly
And wearily back down the years;
Encountering more than was good
Of forgotten illusions and dreams.

But my heart always held toward the sunset,
Nor ever turned back to the canyon.
My soul ever followed the sun
To the west, in his journey unending.





Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!


Other Poems of Interest...
Home: PoetryExplorer.net