The Black Hills

There is something special

About the Black Hills,

Over whose naked peaks

The sun's golden light spills

And seeps into the pockets-

The caves of the earth-

That prospectors once calculated

The depths of their worth.

There is something special

About the thin spires

That uphold woven nests

Of the region's swift fliers

And which protrude from the earth

Like long, spindly bones

Or like arthritic fingers

Preserved now in stone.

There is something special

About the long trail

That winds between peaks

And cliff faces bleached pale,

Which overlook valleys

And a clean, clear lake bath

Surrounded by majesty

And a dirt necklace path.

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Kimberlee Long, November 13th, 2023

Custer State Park, South Dakota. Photo by: April Goodner