Desert Dweller

-thoughts on life, death and gardening.


Random thoughts, poetry and pictures

A taste of my skewed view of the world

  • Pastafarian Grace



    for those who believe,
    he is there, alive, tangible,

    visible in every seething
    cauldron of pasta,

    every boiling pan of noodles,
    every swirling platter of fettuccine.

    therefore, give thanks,
    a short prayer of gratitude

    for the soul nourishing goodness
    of each al-dente bite.

    give thanks for those sauced and cheesed
    slithering semolina swirls.

    give a knowing nod to
    the all-seeing, the all-knowing,

    the kind, the most generous
    flying spaghetti monster.

    © 2025 Bruno Talerico
    Stafford challenge 168/365
  • Heart And Soul



    Opening the door to my heart,
    I step into a wild garden,
    air thick with the sweet scent of jasmine,
    leaves rustling softly,
    whispering secrets of the past.

    Petals of joy unfurl,
    laughing in warm sunlight,
    while thorns prick my skin—
    a vibrant dance on the edge of pain.

    Love flickers
    like fireflies in dusky twilight,
    glowing with fleeting promises
    against encroaching darkness.

    In this tangled landscape,
    love and solitude
    are twin teachers,
    each nurturing growth:

    one, a warm embrace;
    the other, quiet reflection,
    like a still pond
    mirroring the sapphire sky.

    Pulsating existential heartbeats
    echo the symphony of tears and laughter,
    each note resonating
    with the pulse of life.

    Every heartbeat sings—
    joyful pulsation mingled
    with sighs of sorrow,
    melodies lingering
    long after the final notes fade.

    As seasons change,
    I embrace the journey,
    dancing mindfully
    between joy and pain.

    © 2025 Bruno Talerico
    Stafford challenge 167/365.
  • Sea Of Blue



    We both drink from this sea of Blue.
    You live downstream, but I am upstream.
    night after night I dream—
    of you.
    I see the stream,
    but you’re far from view.
    Will the moon above cease to glow?
    Will my yearning cease to flow?
    One day our twin hearts
    will merge,
    waiting, not in vain,
    for tides to surge.

    © 2025 Bruno Talerico
    Stafford challenge 166/365.

    Inspired by poetry of Li Zhi Yi.
  • Cello



    nestled within
    milky thighs

    vibrations purr under
    skilled fingers

    evoking
    aural ecstasy

    ©2022 Bruno Talerico
    revised 2025
    Stafford challenge 165/365
    Image created with AI.
  • Bare Necessities


    a broad-brimmed hat
    a rucksack
    a water bottle
    a pair of sturdy shoes
    a few days worth of food
    a direction

    what more do you really need?

    © 2025 Bruno Talerico
    Stafford challenge 164/365
  • Living Poem


    This poem is a living thing.
    it is intemperate, moody,
    calm and collected in some moments,
    filled with passion and exuberance at others.

    This poem brims with vitality
    words pulsating with wonder
    shadowed with ache;
    lines thick with insights or insults
    often suffused with careless beauty

    Be careful with this poem
    or it might wriggle free
    escaping your grasp
    slithering off into the grass
    never to be seen again.

    © 2025 Bruno Talerico
    Stafford challenge 163/365.
  • Tease



    soft clouds passing by
    no rain ‘til monsoon season
    it’s desert humor

    © 2025 Bruno Talerico
    Stafford challenge 163/365.
  • Anticipation



    summer day dawning
    monsoon clouds on horizon
    cooling storms ahead

    © 2025 Bruno Talerico
    Stafford challenge 161/365.
  • Moonrise



    afloat in clear pond
    under canopy of stars
    sweet luna rising

    © 2025 Bruno Talerico
    Stafford challenge 160/365.
  • Meaningful Changes


    Words are constant,
    but what they represent
    often changes.

    © 2025 Bruno Talerico
    Stafford challenge 159/365.