Proximity to this mountain range, north of my hometown of Lawton, Oklahoma, allowed me to become quite familiar with its rugged beauty. The landscapes of my earliest and fondest memories are in the Wichita Mountains. Their varied shapes, and the wildlife living there, helped shape me.

In the Wichita Mountains

Over these ancient mountains
and over the winding way
have I walked in peace and beauty
on many a sun-drenched day.

I've seen the sun's light dancing
on the running water's face
as it falls towards tomorrow
to find its resting place.

And I have rested in the grace
of valley, lake and shore
and heard the songbirds singing
and watched the eagles soar.

The bison, elk, and longhorn
are witnesses with me
of the Great Creator's handiwork
and rugged majesty.

The landscape too is witness;
every plain, crevasse, and knoll.
a refuge for more than wildlife,
a refuge for the soul.

Next poem: Ascensions

Author: Jerry Dan Deutschendorf
from: Red Earth Whisperings
Part I: Nature and the Nature of Things