I did the painting in 2002 and wrote the poem about it in 2007. See comment for a reference to Ekphrasis.

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CHACO MOON

Oh Anasazi,

Why did you come to Chaco Canyon

Was it abundance of orange sandstone

glowing bright in the evening sun

while full moon rises in sky of blue

Was it fertile soil and flowing water

growing beans, maize, squash and chilis

from the land that must feed you

Were you drawn like a moth to Fajada Butte,

red monolith rising from the valley floor

drawing your gaze, day and night

Why build pueblos for four centuries

with layer upon layer of stone slabs

and doors that open to far views

Why did you align walls and roads

to limits of sun and moon

I walk through time, from stone rooms

to Kiva courtyards with crumbling walls

Oh Anasazi,

Why did you leave your Chaco home

Where are you now and why did you roam

Dave McCauley 4/2/07

Authors Website: dmm234@sbcglobal.net

Authors Bio:
Civil/ Environmental Engineer. Retired from the USDA Forest Service in 2001. Since then I'm dabbling in oil & watercolor painting, memoirs, poetry, grandfathering, golf, gardening, Meals-On-Wheels, and OpEdNews. To preview my new book, Ekphrasis, send me a Comment.