The sun scorched desert lies in wait. <br />Implacable but patiently <br />Its moving contours undulate <br /> moving swiftly but silently. <br /> <br />There are no landmarks men can see <br />to know exactly where they are <br />On every side hostility <br /> the desert’s not particular. <br /> <br />They have no way to navigate <br /> across the ever changing sea <br /> of endless dusty real estate <br /> which alters imperceptibly. <br /> <br />The sunlit slopes and shadows change <br />more quickly than men think they can <br />The desert’s free to rearrange <br /> the landscape and so baffle man <br />. <br /> That he despairs surrenders to <br /> the tactics that he cannot fight. <br /> Then as so many travellers do <br />is lost forever to men’s sight. <br /> <br />Implacable hostility <br /> the desert show the human race <br /> and also its ability. <br />To erase men and leave no trace. <br /> <br />Though sometimes sun bleached bones appear <br />by constant friction polished clean <br />Then just as quickly disappear <br />almost as if they’d never been. <br /> <br />The sun scorched desert lies in wait <br />today as it has always done <br />For foolish men to challenge fate. <br />Though very seldom men have won. <br /> <br />23-Feb-08<br /><br />ivor or ivor.e hogg<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/high-stakes-for-friend-thad/
