her soft skin is drying out
withered into bronze scales
beneath a fiery vacuous sun
the heat soaks up any sweat
tangled webs of hazy veins
once pulsing in lush flows
now thicken and coagulate
tensioning her huge heart
in steel bands of negligence
molting sheets of whiteness
shrink in shadowless vales
pumps of color show wear
and plagues that anticipate
in corridors of vulnerability
prepare for one final surge
she cries frail and breathless
our last tears flow together
as salts upon a barren plain
and I watch my earth perish
Doug and his family live in Oakley, Utah. Doug is a retired water and energy director of a large
water district in Summit County. Doug has spent his life in the environmental science industry,
focusing primarily on water resource protection, efficiency, and sustainability. He has served in
many public positions, including the Oakley City Council and Mayor. He currently is a volunteer
on the County Board of Health, the City Planning Commission, and on the board of a local trail
foundation. As an avid hiker and environmentalist, Doug has spent much of his life writing
poetry based upon the unifying aspects of nature, science, and his strong LDS faith. He often
finds himself lonely, out of place, or misunderstood, especially in Utah, as he drifts upon the
left-hand forks of his life river.
