Desert Paintbrush

Once I was drifting on the high road between Santa Fe & Taos and I pulled off the road to walk up a remarkable rock formation. On the way, I passed by a strange plant that looked like an alien had planted it in the sand. It had bracts like shrimp and was arranged like some mystic hyacinth. I bend low to sniff its wonder and it had a faint gardenia like aroma. All around me were shrubs, possibly full of venomous snakes, cacti, & boulders. The clouds above cascaded into the mountainous distance. I later identified it as a desert paintbrush. It’s as if the strange plant of white, yellow, and purple contained the whole scene in its soft aroma.-D.S.