By Edward Abbey
Date: 15 August 2000

Clarke

October 25, 1982- Muley Point, Utah
It's as marvelous as ever up here. The tremendous stillness. The 
tremendous infinity of sky. One raven croaking. The inevitable raven,
guardian spirit of this place. Sunlight on the beaches down in the
Goosenecks of the San Juan River.

        "A Poem for Clarke"
High in the redrock canyon land
We come for our honeymoon;
Married in bliss near the end of May
Would it last till the end of June?
You're selfish, she says, and mean and crass,
And dirty and ugly and old.
Quite true, I admit, but you have a sweet...!
If I may be so bold.
So we love one day and we battle the next,
And the music goes round and round;
We're on top of the mountain on Thursday eve
And by Friday underground.
Rising on wings of delight to fly
Just as high as lovebirds can sail;
Then sinking, barge-like, to the floor of the sea,
Low down as the shit of a whale.
But we'll struggle on through and outlive our tears,
Whether marriage be joy or a joke;
I don't give a damn if it takes forty years,
I'm cleaving to Clarke till I croak.