In a second reflection on “where poems come from,” sometimes you find yourself in a place so intense that you must write about it. Problematically, when it’s a place as iconic as the bottom of the Grand Canyon, well, it’s almost impossible to do so in anything close to a fresh way. But you have to try…

This poem and the accompanying image came from a photo trip down the colorado in April of 2014 lead by a terrific Utah photographer, Willie Holdman.

Here’s a link to a gallery of the southwest from Willie’s photo site…

Willie Holdman Photography

And here’s a link to my complete gallery of Grand Canyon Images from that trip…

JFink Images Grand Canyon Gallery

Peace,

Jeff

Colorado River in the Grand Canyon, April 2014, at sunset just below the Nankoweap Granaries

rock river sand

and light, dancing

the eye of the raven, his ragged

wing, vishnu’s

impassive face, creator

and destroyer.

time made solid, layered

rim to river to rim. the ghosts

of the grandfathers

watching from the high walls

as we pass, encased

in our tiny stories.

the canyon

doesn’t care, the river continues

carving — deeper, deeper

into the dark heart of the world

©jafink/oldbones.newsnow.com