Ephemeral Charms

Come, summer rain, bring blessings from the sky.
Let desert roots dig deep and grow a little stronger.
Soon enough they’ll wither, sere and tawny dry,
but let these gentle hills stay green a while longer.

Drought’s a fact of life in deserts, as we know,
but we’re not ready yet to see spring flowers die.
And season’s turn is here now. Spring is over, so--
come, summer rain, bring blessings from the sky.

It’s dormancy, not death, for desert-dwelling life,
no need for somber thoughts on tawny hills to wander.
I would not turn the season back to bitter winter’s strife
but let these gentle hills stay green a while longer!

We prize the short-lived desert blooms, but tell me why?
Ephemeral charms to mortal eyes must always seem the stronger.
Come, summer rain, bring blessings from the sky
and let these gentle hills stay green a while longer.