Desert Resilience in the City
By Krista Rundiks

A tiny seed, carried by the wind,
finds its place in the barren desert soil,
where few things thrive without care.
Its roots anchor deep, and a tree of life takes form.

A small white dog, abandoned by the roadside,
weary, hungry, frightened, and lost,
rescued by a compassionate hand,
and nursed back to health in the warmth of a safe bed.

A cluster of sunflowers, planted in late September,
growing tall with vibrant green stalks,
tested by the sharp, brisk winds of fall,
bending, bowing, then rising again—
they bloom bright, greeting the light before the first frost.

A chickadee with a broken wing, alone on the garden floor,
instinctively hiding from the sharp-eyed hawk,
resting to regain strength,
and seeking sanctuary in a nearby bamboo bush.

A black feral cat, one of a kind,
now grown and swift, keen-eyed and wary,
its long coat, a warrior’s mantle, a survivor in the wild.
A kind neighbor leaves meals twice a day,
a small but constant act of compassion.