In the desert men
left their red hand prints
in high caves
We climbed to see them
In the arid map-drawn panhandle
men found shadowed crevices
to scratch out figures
of their prey
then self symbols
some magic to catch them?
We trudge and climb
to find them
Our thirsty days lead us
to dry lands
and hidden places searching
for the reasons that flicker
in the dark recesses of our minds
whisper welcome
to what we seek
even in the heavy silences
of these humid-breathed
and drowsy afternoons.
Carol Hamilton has retired from teaching 2nd grade through graduate school in Connecticut, Indiana, and Oklahoma, from storytelling and volunteer medical translating. She is a former Poet Laureate of Oklahoma and has published 17 books: children’s novels, legends and poetry and has been nominated nine times for a Pushcart Prize. She has won a Southwest Book Award, Oklahoma Book Award, David Ray Poetry Prize, Byline Magazine literary awards in both short story and poetry, Warren Keith Poetry Award, Pegasus Award and a Chiron Review Chapbook Award.
