Desert Lowriders

by Judi Moreillon

Hear the poem.

We're desert lowriders

We're desert lowriders

living close to the ground

living close to the ground

crawling out

for the sweet smell of rain.

We're desert tortoises

We're desert tortoises

searching for food

searching for food

again.

again.

*

*

All winter we lived
in an underground den

that we dug
with our own sharp claws,

cozy with rattlers
other tortoises, too -

sleeping snug in our shells

waiting for the rains
to call.

*

*

Now awake

Now awake

for the summer
we'll eat enough food

to last through
next winter's long sleep.

In the cool of the morning,
we'll munch on green grass

and drink from rain puddles
on wet afternoons.

*

*

Desert lowriders
living close to the earth
we're

Desert lowriders
living close to the earth
we're

tough,

scaly-skinned

whole-century

survivors!

survivors!

Desert lowriders!

Desert lowriders!