La Verkin Utah

This is southern Utah

Here the Virgin River runs
Through the red rock
And little Mormon towns

In this country
Alfalfa thrives in the hoofprints
Of the Spanish explorers

Here la figura de La Virgen
Of the Escalantes
Was transfigured
When the Saints came
To transpose i's for e's
A's for o's
Visions for revelations
And make the land their own

The last natural coyote stood
In the brilliant desert light
To watch a plowshare
Slice through an anthill

He turned
Put his eye on the south
And headed for Mexico