Bryce

 It was early September, and
The air was cold enough to see my breath.
A cousin had already told me about you—
Had told me of your splendid beauty.
So, I wanted to see for myself.
On the morning I was to cast my eyes upon you
For the very first time,
The combined chill and drizzling rain
Could not dampen my spirit.
But I was not fully prepared
For what my eyes were to behold.
From the first vantage point,
I witnessed the breadth and depth
Of your amphitheater’s awesomeness.
Your hoodoos, formed from centuries of erosion,
Stood like military brigades, awaiting inspection.
Proud to display your many-colored totems of
Orange
Yellow
Pink
Gold
Red
Mauve
White
And more,
Each column’s layered hues were greatly enhanced
By the constant penetration of that early morning drizzle.
But I had to laugh when I spotted a plaque
That simply repeated something
Ebenezer had said many years before:
“It's a helluva place to lose a cow.”

 ©Copyright 2017 by David Lee Thompson