Wading in Water

Wading in Water

by Armando Ortiz

wading in water

along Onion Valley trail

where melting droplets

in nature's weight flows

the white noise of running creeks

sting like icy needles

and exiting an alpine lake

gives warm shivers

floating in upper stream pools

I return to that childhood

where shimmers buoyantly move

and arms resist the gentle force

the waft of sagebrush vapors

wander under the shade of aspen shrubs-

I wish to be wading in water

thoughts meandering next to bliss

Kearsarge

Kearsarge

by Armando Ortiz

I sit meditating

on the southern slope of a mountain

the shadow of the north face

breaks free from its boundary

stratus clouds momentarily veil the sunlight

the landscape darkens as if it were night

the silence of Buddha is broken

as chipmunks from ground to rock scurry by

cold winds funnel down the alpine valley

making ripples and howls within rocks surrounding

colossal statue cracked unmoving

sits ringed with dabs of purple violet irises

crown of frozen grey and melting ice

is like a dream to my city eyes

Dream of Mountains: Short Piece

Dream of Mountains

by Armando Ortiz

I dream of hiking mountains
walking giant mortars
on alpine canyons
one continual upward motion

Life conceived extremes
thousands of winters
foxtails untouched by hands
firmly sweeping the wind they stand

wild flowers long harsh winter endured
late June rough gravel break through
granite peppered with pine green
where purple iris edge against a cairn

to watch molcajetes steaming with life
to walk on giant rocks
and stroll along grey cliffs
with white peaks that silently lie

to journey to a frozen conception
that melts into hidden cracks
and traverse giant mammoth molars
and glide on the air like a flying dinosaur.