visitors climb, hike
coming and going each day
Arches remain set

© 2019 Jason A. Muckley

This poem is a bit sad for me. The idea I am portraying is the permanence of nature, of favorite geological rock formations like the Delicate Arch at Arches National Park in Moab, UT, despite the transient nature of visitors continuously coming and going.

This was a favorite family place to visit. I even posted a poem about Canyonlands National Park, another fun park in Moab, around the time we separated. Oftentimes, when I am looking at pictures of my kids, there will be a “reminder” from Google Photos about old vacations and places we frequented as a family, which we likely never visit again together. It is a tough reality to accept.

However, the truth is, that nature’s permanence is actually a lie. Many, many years ago these arches were solid rock formations that have been sculpted by the wind and rain and snow for more than thousands of years. It is estimated that more than 1 million people come and go to this site every year to hike to see this beautiful rock formation. There are always people coming and going on this trail.

With the vast number of people visiting, there are likely many families like mine “in transition” whether they know it or not. As they gaze on this beautiful “sculpture” that seems like it would stand in perfect balance like this forever, the truth is it will eventually collapse, erode away, and be gone.

Thanks for reading 😀

– Jason