- The Joshua Tree -

By John Herlihy

The Joshua tree grows out of arid desert sands,

Striking a lonely appearance in harsh, dry lands,

Standing solitary, in silhouette, against twilight,

Appearing pugnacious, as if readying for a fight.

Fight it must against the stark desert condition,

If it ever hopes to bear fruit and come to fruition.

The tree raises knotted fists with extended arms,

Both the darkness and light offer soothing balms.

Given its name by Mormans in clothing threadbare,

They saw Joshua there extending his arms in prayer.

Ranchers use them to build fences, miners for fuel,

Indians mashed its blooms to sweeten their gruel.

The mighty Joshua tree still stands unique and tall,

Another of God’s creation that never seems small.

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(c) John Herlihy January 2019