A desert world, tan, shifting, bland,

A trillion trillion grains of sand,

Dry crystals go where winds say go,

Cleave to none save airs that blow.

Whisper and roll, undulating waves,

With fluid dynamics aggregate behaves,

Then meets true water, changes its face,

Grains cling tightly in clumping embrace.

Appearance changes with mixed content,

Not only tan, by wet prism bent,

Colors come through in stunning arrays,

Changing new lights’ refraction plays.

Offers different beauty, diversity of form,

That turns, rises, falls with no single norm,

Varies consistency accorded by its mud,

With degree of drought, measure of flood.

Holds quite solid ‘til dry winds bring

Brittleness to glue, particle takes wing,

Rides frilly gust’s lifting, pressing air,

Piles with other bits in layered flair.

Joins once again an indeterminate cast,

Sameness cobbled, one ubiquitous last,

One grain defined by the restless whole,

Little meaning save smallness of soul.