ARIZONA -For Isabelle. 1998. Out there in the red and orange, Scarred and scorched wilderness Of the dead or dying desert, An Atlantis stands as solid as sky And blue as sapphire in my memory. A chimera with a peeling sign, With big bold letters spelling “Waterworld” -as real as stone But strange as mirage - This blue plastic oasis writhes. Freshwater pools in all directions And a myriad fake blue snakes, Curled, twisted, bright as sweets; Here the death slides and gentle water rides thrive, Within stark canyons and the burning sands. Our improbable wonderland, surreal Stood as we stood, side by side Feet blistering and backs brown Smiles and eyes and filled with awe Wet hair and splashes, ethereal footprints. Beyond the fence the sand moved, And the rocks like hot coals, lisped. There the grass lay yellow as hair Dry as paper, and as bare, Yet we dived like fish and swam. This jewel stands to mind As solid and strange as stone, My sister and I fishes fishing In the desert, uncompromising pleasure, Laughing.