desert

Heat

Standard

red-tailed hawks soar
heat settles into stone
the water stills

***

Photo: Montezuma’s Well, Arizona,  c.b.w. 2008

My husband and I happened upon this site on our way to Montezuma’s Castle and it turned out to be a great little surprise. Look closely and you’ll see the remains of a Sinagua settlement in the stone cliffs that surround this natural spring well. It’s a remarkable thing to see this pocket of life in the middle of the desert and even more amazing to imagine the thriving community that once called this place home. There’s a trail that circles the water, so it’s possible to peer into some incredible archeological sites.

Words: haiku, c.b.w. 2019