Searching for Immortality at
the Colorado National Monument
The monoliths and mesas rise
into the cloudless Colorado sky
dwarfing mere mortals into insignificance.
The fall rays spotlight
the terra cotta iron impregnated sandstone,
offering hues of mauve, reds, and browns
that mesmerize the eyes.
Bursts of yellow and gold
decorate the cedars and aspens
that meander along the dry creek beds
or gather in bunches
wherever they can take root.
These canyons formed from
the sands of ancient waters
stand stoically watching the passage of time.
High up above on the serpentine road
that winds through, up, and across the mesas
I pause briefly stepping out for my own meander,
taking in the magnificence.
Peering at the rock I am crossing
another has left his ignoble mark,
“Chief Twohouse 1937,”
in his search for immortality.
Comments: Two weeks ago, a business cohort and I returned to the Grand Junction area on company assignment. Before our return flight, we had time to tour the almost indescribable Colorado National Monument–one of the grand landscapes of the American West. It contains sheer-walled canyons, towering monoliths, and colorful formations. The graffiti on one of the rocks helped generate this poem and hence the title. Be sure to visit the web version to see some of the spectacular views I tried to capture. You will also see the ignoble etchings on one of the rocks.
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