North.
The prickly pear cactus flower
and desert marigold tingle my nose.
A jumping cholla bends, I nearly miss its
piercing needles.

South.
In the distance, a momma coyote
and her babies yip at an approaching mountain lion.
A desert recluse spins its web on a nearby Saguaro Cactus,
while an Arizona bark scorpion burrows under speckled rocks,
cooling off in the excruciating heat.

East.
The dry wind picks up,
sending a tumbleweed rolling, spinning, turning
across the vacant desert floor.
Dust flying up into a funnel,
engulfs rocks, rodents, and rusty rails. 

West.
A round runner takes a bath in a near dry fountain,
singing its bird song.
A javelina charges across a wash,
nearing a group of desert lizards.
A rattlesnakes shakes its rattle,
warning a nearby pack rat of its existence.

North, South, East, West.
Red and brown mountains captivate my view.
The sun, always shines brightly against the crystal blue sky,
no cloud, nor rain, nor snow in sight.
Everywhere I look, beauty is present
in this desert paradise.