Desert Dweller

The desert stretches, pretending to be empty,

but water knows otherwise.

Cottonwoods lean in to hear stories

from a river that remembers

each flood and every thirsty year.

Perched on top of my pack, tail curled,

the tuxedo cat surveys the trail,

patient and confident—after all

backpacking was invented for felines.

At camp, we share a meal from a can,

cool river water, and the crescent moon.

I study the cat as he studies the current.

In the morning, we move on, the river flowing,

the desert keeping watch over what it knows.

I hike, the cat keeps watch.

Looking back, our footprints

are already fading in the breeze.

© 2026 Bruno Talerico

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