SHOW LOW!

The picture for today’s poem was found on the internet and came from an excerpt from Arizona Adventure by Marshall Trimble, the state’s official historian. It is a photograph of the Statue that honors the card game in which the town of Show Low, Arizona derived its name.

Enjoy . . . . . .

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In the pioneer days of Arizona
The stakes were often high
It was put-up or shut-up
And no one questioned why

Two pioneers on nearby spreads
Were a feudin’ and a fussin’
When one got in the other’s view
Tempers flaired, twas lotsa cussin’

Cooley and Clark were neighbors
With a burr in their craw
A feud finally festered; settle
They must; cards they’d draw

Seven-up was the game
Low card wins, the rule of play
Twas a simple game, but the
Stakes were high that fateful day

The deck was shuffled; cards
Dealt face down, one by one
When the Club deuce was turned up,
The game was over; Cooley had won

So, Clark moved on down the road
The bickering ended and now you know
How a town in northeast Arizona
Got the unique name of . . . . Show Low

                               Poem by Herm Meyer

Desert Hike

This is a re-post of a poem I published in the spring of 2013. I seems my original post got lost in cyberspace . . . . . Gone without a trace except it's still referenced in Google Search. So here we go again............

When I had my heart attack last October (2012) I was immediately banned from hiking in the desert. Rightfully so, since I’m in my 80’s and, they had put a stent in one of my arteries which saved my life. A month later I underwent bypass surgery and in the recovery period I was also banned from the desert.

I recovered very fast and really wanted to go hiking in the desert again. “NO WAY!” said the good doctor. Not until four months after the operation. So you can imagine my joy when I finally got the okay to go hiking in the desert . . . euphoria! I was out there the next morning. Fortunately, the wildflowers were still blooming and I took some pictures.

Several people have suggested that I write a poem about the hike. So, I did! Enjoy . . . 

 

It was only a walk in the desert

But, oh, what a walk it would be

Since my heart did a medical alert

Hey, lovely desert, “long time no see”

Desert love does go deep to my roots

The crunch of granite beneath my boots

The smell of the creosote bush with rain

Critters scurrying across the rocky terrain

Wildflowers blooming in all their glory

Giving evidence to God’s creation story

The aroma and beauty are truly profound

 Miracles from a seed left in the ground

It’s great to be back; the desert is my friend

Its beauty abounds; life struggles never end

Buzzard circle over this old man with a pack 

Rest easy, friend; this “ole desert rat” is back

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Stuff:

Here’s a link to great photo collection of desert flowers……….

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=az+desert+flowers&qpvt=az+desert+flowers&FORM=IGRE#

P. S. . . . . Feb, 2015: As I approach my 85th birthday, all is well with my heart and I still go hiking in the desert.