poetic journeys: A R I Z O N A

All that happened – ancient volcanic eruptions, drought, erosion, uplifting

Regions, social pressures, the Long Walk, and finally, the concrete slabs of

Interstate highways – prodded ancient people to scatter and fractured a mythic road, remnants of which

Zigzag now in spurts through towns like Winslow and Holbrook. Only in the vestiges

Of Route 66, with the neon signs, wigwam motels, vintage cars, the

Nullified graffiti-covered trading posts, does

America hang on, pierced with twin arrows, to its last good times.

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The Mitten at Monument Valley

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Three Sisters at Monument Valley

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Betatakin dwelling at Navajo National Monument

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Aspen Trail at Navajo National Monument

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Fossil near Tuba City

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Coal Mine Canyon, AZ

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Wupatki Pueblo at Wupatki National Monument

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Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument

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Island Trail at Walnut Canyon National Monument

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dwellling at Walnut Canyon

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the 1924 Winona Bridge frames the San Francisco Peaks

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Twin Arrows Trading Post

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Standing on the corner in Winslow, Arizona

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Rainbow Forest at Petrified Forest National Park

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Wigwam Motel, Holbrook, AZ

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Joe & Aggie’s Cafe in Holbrook

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Nichols Sportsman in Holbrook, AZ

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Blue Mesa at Petrified Forest National Park

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Window Rock

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Hubbell Trading Post

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Spider Rock at Canyon de Chelly

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White House Ruins at Canyon de Chelly

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“POETRY” Invitation:  I invite you to write a poem of any poetic form on your own blog about a particular travel destination.  Or you can write about travel in general. Concentrate on any intention you set for your poetry. In this case, I wrote an acrostic poem about ARIZONA.

“The basic acrostic is a poem in which the first letters of the lines, read downwards, form a word, phrase, or sentence. Some acrostics have the vertical word at the end of the line, or in the middle.  The double acrostic has two such vertical arrangements (either first and middle letters or first and last letters), while a triple acrostic has all three (first letters, middle, and last)” (from The Teachers & Writers Handbook of Poetic Forms).

Some examples of acrostics can be found in Seasonal Sonnets (Acrostic) by Mark A. Doherty.

You can either set your own poetic intentions, or use one of the prompts I’ve listed on this page: writing prompts: poetry.  (This page is a work in process).  You can also include photos, of course.

Include the link in the comments below by Thursday, August 2 at 1:00 p.m. EST.  When I write my post in response to this challenge on Friday, August 3, I’ll include your links in that post.

This will be an ongoing invitation, on the first Friday of each month. Feel free to jump in at any time. 🙂

I hope you’ll join in our community. I look forward to reading your posts!

the ~ wander.essence ~ community

I invite you all to settle in and read posts from our wandering community. I promise, you’ll be inspired!

Thanks to all of you who wrote poetic posts. 🙂