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Out In the Desert Late At Night

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This Poem is Dedicated
To Mrs. Sears
My sixth-grade English Teacher
in return for her dedication to her students.

Out in the desert, late at night The stars and moon are shining bright The coyotes sing, While crickets keep beat Cool night's joy, replaces heat The owl sets out on nightly quest "Who, whoo's my meal?" ever his jest The man in the moon witnessed escapes Wild dashes for thorn bush drapes The merry stars with twinkling eyes Laughed at the hoot owl's great surprise Kangaroo rat leaps in delight Out in the desert late at night

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Jim Slaughter

Date: 9/25/2022 10:30:00 AM

This piece has a good deal of relevancy for me, BJ. I spent many a night out in the desert near my hometown in West Texas. My inspiration to write, however, didn't come until Senior English with Mrs. Mary Gibson.

Andrea Dietrich

Date: 4/22/2022 4:03:00 PM

glad you liked my garden party poem. thanks so much!

Bj Legros Kelley
Date: 4/24/2022 10:27:00 PM

You are an awesome poet my sweet friend. I think of you often even if I haven't soup mailed you lately! You're a great among poets, and I am so honored that you participated in my contest with your poem <3 Love you lady :) ~BJ

Christuraj Alex

Date: 4/20/2022 7:05:00 PM

Very beautiful painting of the scene. Coyotes, crickets, owls, Kangaroo rat... Great scene. By the way, I take this opportunity to thank you for the chance given to participate in your contest. Thanking you...

Bj Legros Kelley
Date: 4/24/2022 10:25:00 PM

Thank you Christuraj, for your visit and kind words. There are many wild and free creatures, and the cactus, the stars that stretched out like a bright canopy and the moon were so incredibly beautiful once I learned to see them. I miss living in the desert of my childhood nowadays, but there is still much beauty out where man has not encroached with the sprawling city! Yourwords mean a lot to me. Also, you are so welcome, thank you for taking part in the poetry contest, you are such a blessing :) <3 ~BJ

Judy Ball

Date: 4/19/2022 8:06:00 PM

Loved this BJ. Really great description, rhyme and meter. Nature over that I am it's a fave for me. God Bless, JB

Bj Legros Kelley
Date: 4/24/2022 10:20:00 PM

Thank you so much Judy, your words mean a lot to me :) I love nature, it is incredible. The beautiful free life of the innocent roaming creatures...even it's fight for survival, and victories is so amazing. I think that when I'm finished trying to catch up a bit on here, I will go and try to find some beautiful spot to just breathe in the incredible awesomeness of the night. I miss living out in the wild where free life just flows :) The city encroaches where I live nowadays. I'm glad this is a fave for you, I am so blessed :) <3 ~BJ

Silpika Kalita

Date: 4/10/2022 7:09:00 PM

Very vivid and unique, so creatively creative, the imageries of the night desert is the height of the poetic fancy, takes one to those mystic mesmeric lands. . Thank you, I truly appreciate this wonderful share

Bj Legros Kelley
Date: 4/24/2022 10:15:00 PM

You are so incredibly precious Silpika, your comment is poetically sweet and simply feels like a hug :) The desert is so filled with beauty and life. When I was a child and wrote the poem, I remember feeling the immensity during the class assignment which this poem was written for. It opened my eyes and heart to a beautiful world that I had refused to notice before. This poem means a lot to me, and is so in honor of a wonderful teacher who inspired me. If it weren't for her, I cannot imagine where I would have been. This poem reminds me of that time so vividly. <3 ~BJ

Susan Lawrence

Date: 4/9/2022 7:26:00 AM

Dear BJ , This is charming and so transporting taking me to a place and time to witness so many wonders of the night desert . There is delight and fun and wisdom in your words . You wrote this in 6th grade ! Bravo ! Thoroughly enjoyed ! Susan :)

Bj Legros Kelley
Date: 4/24/2022 10:09:00 PM

Thank you so much Susan, for your visit and sweet comment. I too am transported back to when I wrote this poem. I wish I could express to my wonderful teacher just how much she influenced me and helped me to see the beauty all around that I had hitherto been too sad and blind to see. This is one of my favorite poems, she was a great inspiration to me <3 ~BJ

Timothy Ray

Date: 4/6/2022 12:09:00 PM

i was raised in the desert so a lot of this brings in memory neurons...i love its silence and ability to see at times forever...nice capture of that environment

Bj Legros Kelley
Date: 4/24/2022 10:05:00 PM

Thank you for your visit and kind words Timothy. The desert has a lot of beauty and I'm so glad this poem brought back good memories for you. We lived next to a reservation where I believe there was pretty much nothing between us to the Mexico border (at least 60 miles away) and beyond at that time. We were far from town. I hated the desert until our teacher lead us to look for beauty and write a poem about it. This poem was sort of a turning point in my life. :) Thank you for your visit <3 ~BJ

Eileen Manassian

Date: 4/3/2022 11:27:00 PM

Lovely write! You used imagery well. I'm sure your teacher was proud of your accomplishment. Thanks for your visit to my work.

Bj Legros Kelley
Date: 4/24/2022 9:59:00 PM

Thank you for your sweet comment, my teacher encouraged me so much through her sweet words... and the wisdom that she offered to me on improving my spelling skills ;) Thank you for your visit <3 ~BJ

Jennifer Proxenos

Date: 3/29/2022 10:31:00 AM

Hello my friend, what a wonderful poem and written whilst at school some time ago, congratulations on your so deserved win, congratulations on writing this poem in 1971 and congratulations on all your wonderful poetry you share with us! Love and hugs Jennifer.

Bj Legros Kelley
Date: 4/3/2022 12:38:00 PM

Aw, thank you Jennifer, you are so precious and uplifting :) I appreciate your visit, comment and hugs <3 I hope you are well my friend <3 ~BJ

Silent One

Date: 3/23/2022 3:10:00 PM

Hope you are well my friend.

Bj Legros Kelley
Date: 3/26/2022 1:27:00 AM

I am hanging in there Silent One, things have been hectic, and though this is where I long to be, on Poetry Soup, sometimes I am so busy there is just no time. I hope you too are well precious friend. I do hope I can be on here again soon. I have been carrying my pen and journal and write even when the pc is not available. I appreciate you reaching out with your concern, it means a lot to me <3 ~BJ

Sara Kendrick

Date: 3/18/2022 5:53:00 AM

The kangaroo rat must be an interesting animal to see. I enjoyed reading this one. Your visit to my page was delightful. Congratulations on your win. Sara

Bj Legros Kelley
Date: 3/20/2022 1:27:00 AM

They really are rather adorable, as rats go anyway! I'm glad you liked reading my poem <3 Thank you for your visit, uplifting comment and congratulations Sara, you are such a dear. I love visiting your page, and I'm so sorry the cold snap killed some of your garden. I'm praying the Lord bless you with a bumper crop this year to make up for the loss. I hope you're having warmer weather now <3 ~BJ

Andrea Dietrich

Date: 3/17/2022 11:00:00 PM

hmmm, I would have expected this one to have a first place on it. Congrats. it truly was exceptional for the age that you wrote it.

Bj Legros Kelley
Date: 3/20/2022 1:22:00 AM

Aw, thank you so much Andrea! I had a lot of fun with this contest, I'm glad you like my poem :) You are such a dear friend and have encouraged me more than you can even know <3 I miss soup mailing with you! I hope you are having a wonderful weekend :) God bless you my sweet friend <3 ~BJ

Anil Deo

Date: 3/17/2022 7:14:00 PM

Your zinnias & sunflowers attracted me here ... Where I encounter kangaroo rat, but more: coyotes sing & crickets keep beat. Even hunting birds of prey do give a hoot: ready to joke before dining on neighbors!! A FAVE

Bj Legros Kelley
Date: 3/20/2022 1:18:00 AM

I'm glad you like the zinnias and sunflowers Anil, and you have uplifted me more than you can imagine with your fave! Yes, those owls are not very good neighbors, lol! I saw one standing on a telephone pole once at dusk, that thing was enormous. I had nightmares about that owl, I dreamt he was a gargoyle and was after me!! But the desert is filled with so many things, it is amazing really. I love it now. I hope you're having a wonderful weekend! Thank you for stopping over with your very encouraging visit! :) ~BJ

Shirley Hawkins

Date: 3/17/2022 6:56:00 PM

WOW! Absolute Magic. Good luck in the contest, BJ. Take care. Shirley

Bj Legros Kelley
Date: 3/20/2022 1:13:00 AM

Thank you Shirley, I'm so glad you liked this poem, it has a special place in my heart :) I hope your weekend is blessed and filled with much peace and joy! I loved reading your poem the other day, it lifted my heart :) <3 ~BJ

Indiana Shaw

Date: 3/17/2022 1:37:00 PM

What a cracker of a contest, to bring back our thoughts from years ago, and how we would have missed this magic gem of a poem written so long ago, lovely . . . : )

Bj Legros Kelley
Date: 3/20/2022 1:10:00 AM

I agree Indiana, that was a fun one! You are so sweet, thank you for your kind and encouraging words :) It really has been one of my favorite poems, the memories tied around it are so uplifting to me. Thank you for stopping by, I hope you're having a wonderful weekend <3 ~BJ

Judy Ball

Date: 3/17/2022 7:01:00 AM

Love this BJ. Such beautiful description of the desert at night. Super job. Good luck in the contest. God Bless, JB

Bj Legros Kelley
Date: 3/19/2022 1:04:00 PM

Thank you so much Judy <3 Gosh, it's so good to see you back! I was really worried about you, and was actually going to try to e-mail you to find out if you were ok! Thank you for your visit and encouraging comment my friend, and welcome back! <3 ~BJ

Charles Messina

Date: 3/17/2022 4:23:00 AM

WOW, BJ. This is so descriptive and filled with imagery. Your talent was blooming way back when! Good luck in the contest...I would be shocked if you received anything less than A+ on your classroom assignment. Love & hugs...Charlie

Bj Legros Kelley
Date: 3/19/2022 12:27:00 PM

Thank you so much Charles :) I was definitely a different child at that time than the child I had been when we lived near the Bay in California. My siblings, mother and I were devastated when we left our small town of that time. I became so sad I stopped talking, for the most part, and introverted terribly. Happily, I found poetry at that time, and it touched the depth of what I felt in my heart. My teacher changed my life through her assignment to us, this poem inspired me in more ways than simply completing an assignment <3 Thank you so much for your visit Charles :) <3 ~BJ

Mystic Rose Rose

Date: 3/17/2022 3:37:00 AM

Oh B J it feels like you were there, I was lost in this forest of yours, for a few blissful moments, thank you :)

Bj Legros Kelley
Date: 3/19/2022 12:22:00 PM

Thank you Mystic Rose, <3 We did live in the desert and I saw the owls (or their tell tale signs in pellets sometimes!!!). I learned to look for the beauty because of our teacher's assignment to us. Once I found it, I could never again ignore the amazing desert and it's abundance of life again :) I moved back to the area about 30 years ago, and would sit on my car and just enjoy the nighttime serenade and bright starry nights once again. It is a beautiful region one you find the beauty and joy of a region, there is such peace. Thank you for stopping by my beautiful friend! <3 ~BJ

Lindsay Laurie

Date: 3/16/2022 7:59:00 PM

Hello BJ ... I understand your poem so well. I camped in the outback here, and the stars are much clearer and the only sounds are made by natural means - thank you BJ - Lindsay

Bj Legros Kelley
Date: 3/19/2022 12:16:00 PM

That sounds wonderful Lindsay, there is nothing so wonderful as the peace nature allows us. My dad had built us a house way out of town on some property that was surrounded by the lush Sonoran Desert. At first I hated it, but when I learned to see the wildlife and the majesty of it, I found such peace. Thank you for visiting! I need to come over and read more of your poems, they always lift my heart :) ~ BJ

Bill Baker

Date: 3/15/2022 9:44:00 PM

Awesome experience and poem, B.J. and at such a young age. I'm impressed. Smiles ~ Blessings, Bill

Bj Legros Kelley
Date: 3/19/2022 12:11:00 PM

Thank you Bill, it is a favorite to me. When I read or remember this poem, I always think about that time in my life, and the teacher who helped to inspire me to find beauty in the new land where we had moved to. :) <3 ~BJ

Silent One

Date: 3/13/2022 12:57:00 PM

Wow... a poem of this calibre written so long ago??? Your talent shone through at that age... I was once at a desert late one night watching sunset... but never saw anything but sand... a lovely experience

Bj Legros Kelley
Date: 3/15/2022 5:11:00 PM

Thank you so much Silent One, every time you comment you bless my heart more than you could even know :) I was a strange little girl, I loved to read and write, a lot, even though I misspelled a lot of my words. My teacher cared too much about us to let it slide, and I had to write my best for her. She was an awesome teacher. I found beauty in the desert, if it were not for her assignment to us, who knows if I would have actually looked for and seen the beauty all around us. Every sweet comment for this poem really reflects on my precious sixth-grade, teacher, in my heart. I wrote about her in Teacher's Refining Fire'. She blessed me more than she could ever realize in encouraging me to continue to write poetry. <3

Beata Agustin

Date: 3/12/2022 3:57:00 AM

Congrats! Thanks for sharing this. God bless you.

Bj Legros Kelley
Date: 3/15/2022 4:59:00 PM

Thank you Beata! :) God bless you as well my friend <3 ~BJ

Lonna Blodgett

Date: 3/12/2022 2:23:00 AM

A youthful and exhilarating pen. Truly made me smile with innocence of early years. Clearly an early indication of your talent B J. Lonna

Bj Legros Kelley
Date: 3/15/2022 4:59:00 PM

Thank you Lonne, your words really made me smile as I read your comment to me :) I had an amazing teacher. I don't believe I would have continued to write if it had not been for her. She was incredible. Thank you so much for reading my poem and for your sweet comment, it really means a lot to me :) <3 ~BJ

Gershon Wolf

Date: 3/10/2022 4:35:00 PM

Wow! This is amazing, BJ! And you wrote this in 6th grade?! I'm awestruck. ~ Take me to your leader... ~ In a Trance, gw

Bj Legros Kelley
Date: 3/15/2022 4:55:00 PM

Thank you Gershon :) Yes, I wrote it for my sixth-grade English class. I wrote a poem about my teacher at that time in Teacher's Refining Fire', I was thrilled when I actually made her happy with this poem, unfortunately, I misspelled a lot of the words ;) She was so gracious to me about them at that time though, thank goodness! At first, she almost questioned whether I'd written it, but she saw the bazillion spelling errors, and knew I didn't copy it! She inspired me to make the dictionary my best friend and continue to work on improving my spelling and to write. She was an amazing teacher :)

Kim Rodrigues

Date: 3/10/2022 9:29:00 AM

A lot takes place in the desert late at night. Love it, BJ!

Bj Legros Kelley
Date: 3/15/2022 4:48:00 PM

Thank you Kim! I noticed a couple of weeks ago you posted a poem about visiting Tombstone, AZ and wondered if you were in AZ? I've been there, boot hill was so sad!! A lot does happen in the desert at night, and it is a lot more beautiful than I realized when we first moved there :) Thank you for hosting the Buzzword contest, it was so much fun! Also, thank you so much for my placement :) <3 ~BJ