How quickly the desert flower fades.
It fills its place for which it was made
greens, blossoms, reaches out with new blade
surrenders its fragrance in evening shade.

The tender root now searches deep
to moisten sap and tender leaf
that for one more day it might keep
its flowery fruit in furnace heat.

Watch blossom and blade upon the wind
gently sway and slightly bend
as thermal currents seek to rend
from petal and leaf the life it attends.

Amidst thorny weed and woody sage
the desert flower dresses landscape stage
the brevity of life and beauty its wage
for lifting flowered face against heat's rage.

Grieve not as desert flower dies
leaving browny leaf where it lies
its brief life testifies
to the beauty of joyful resilience that defies
the hostile environ of all our lives.