Poetry / / By

Blue Dunes of Mars

Reddish-brown scallops
hints of cyan valleys
burrowed between crescents.

Deep basins alternately
widen then narrow
in cascading ripples.

Peaks gleaming brightly
in the rays of old sol
casting shadows below.

Cascades yield to the
smooth glowing white mound
restored once traversed.

The tapestry tightens
rendering valleys invisible
as the pattern disrupts.

Red peaks now disperse
the fabric unravels
and valleys push skyward.

Windswept the dunes
emerge from cocoons
hiding treasure no more.

The structure surrenders
behold the splendor
of the Blue Dunes of Mars.

——

Image credit: Blue Dunes on the Red Planet, NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU, April 8, 2021.

Linked to dVerse Poets Pub: Open Link #290, hosted tonight by Sanaa.

——

See more ekphrastic poetry.

14 thoughts on “Blue Dunes of Mars”

      1. ben Alexander

        I was almost hoping you’d say that you wrote the poem and then found the picture, Ron – because it’s humbling to me that you did such a fantastic job with this poem.

        Reply
  2. sanaarizvi

    Love this especially; “Cascades yield to the smooth glowing white mound restored once traversed.”💖

    Reply
  4. msjadeli

    The phenomena is worthy of a great poem and you did it honor by writing one. I’d love to take a dune buggy out on those blue Martian dunes!

    Reply
    1. Ron Rowland

      Thanks. The Mars Rover is already there and is kind of a dune buggy, but I don’t think it has a seat for a human.

      Reply
  8. Ron.

    Yeah, this is really good, as far as poetry written about photography can go, but when you see them up close, when you take off your shoes & let those multicolored bits slip between your toes as I have done so often, mere words can never truly express. This work made me homesick. Thanks a bunch, OtherRon

    Reply

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