A secluded red rock canyon in Utah

I think I have finally found the perfect retirement home,

No longer will I need to search, or to ponder, or to roam.

It’s located at the bottom of a deep dark ravine,

It’s immersed in natural beauty, and oh, it’s so serene.

There isn’t a human neighbor for at least a hundred miles,

What a most comforting thought, one which makes me smile.

No traffic jams, maddening noise, or cluttered subdivisions,

No politicians, salesmen, or bickering organized religions.

No newspapers, horrific TV news, or man’s insanity,

Only solitude, nature’s wonderment, and silent serenity.

Just the Creator’s hand, in every direction that I look,

I’ve even found a most delightful little babbling brook.

Our neighbors will be canyon critters who live within these walls,

They never bicker or fight over super sales at the shopping malls.

They never curse the next dawn, or ever once regret their lives,

They never abuse other creatures, their children, or their wives.

They never shout out hatred, and they never practice bigotry,

They are content to live in harmony, as we were meant to be.

My only problem now, will be to convince my lovely spouse,

“Sweetie, we’re finally home, isn’t this a wondrous house?”

“We can put the bed right there, and the sofa by the wall,

And see this giant hole I’ve dug; it’s for Nature’s Call!”

“We won’t need electricity; our fuel will be kerosene,

The air is not polluted, and the trees are always green.”

“You can sunbathe every day on our luxurious upper deck,

I’ll build you a comfy hammock – oh, what the heck.”

“I’ll even hang up a big old clock; that should make you smile,

But me - I’ll be using my much more reliable ancient sun dial.”

“We can climb topside together, and we’ll frolic in the pine-scented breeze,

We can snuggle there every afternoon, beneath the lovely trees.”

“Each and every night, we can hold hands, and lovingly gaze into the sky,

Then we can drift off to sleep contentedly, with a kiss and a sigh.”

 “And we can definitely grow some veggies, and get a few more pets,

We can live there happily ever after, with surely no regrets.”

“Ah, this is the way that life was truly meant to be lived,

Ah, for such peace and tranquility, a fortune I would give.”

“Edward, parts of you’re ‘vision’ are not filling me with awe,

And under no circumstances, mister, will I use a hole – in Utah.”

“Just think it over, Sweetie, pretty, pretty please!”

“OK, now go to sleep and quit the begging – Geez!”

“Yes, dear.”

As I finally fell asleep, my heart still retained some hope,

My wife has yet to bark out that dreaded spousal, “NOPE.”

Maybe someday soon, my vision will become a reality;

Maybe someday soon, my heart will truly fill with glee.