Showering with Lizards: (Poems and Prose of the Desert Southwest)

By Mary Ruth Weaver

When Mary Ruth Weaver moved to Yuma, Arizona, she had no idea she would someday be showering with lizards! This event gave her the inspiration to write a poem about her experience. Showering With Lizards takes the reader traveling throughout Arizona. Animals, flowers, rivers, gems, and people of the desert southwest will keep you intrigued as you read in poetry and prose the beauty, history, and species names of animals and plants in the desert. An excellent read for students in English and Biology, but everyone will enjoy learning and sometimes identifying with some of these experiences.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Nov 3, 2020
• ISBN: 9781665503730

Mary Ruth Weaver

Mary Ruth Weaver is the author of four children’s books, and a poetry book, The Forgotten Trolley, Carly’s Angels, Back On Track, Vikki Moves To New Ipswich, and Showering With Lizards, Poem and Prose Of The Desert Southwest. She enjoys writing for children and incorporating her children, grandchildren, and family members into her stories, poems, and plays. Her work has been read and performed at schools and churches, and published in newspapers. She lives in Yuma, Arizona with her husband, Gary.

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© 2020 Mary Ruth Weaver. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or

transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 10/31/2020

ISBN: 978-1-6655-0361-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6655-0373-0 (e)

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or

links contained in this book may have changed since publication and

may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those

of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher,

and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

CONTENTS

DEDICATION

Acknowledgement

AMERICA’S VALENTINE

BIGHORN PROUD

BLACK WIDOW TERROR

BORDER STATE

CACTUS

CACTUS GARDEN

CACTUS WREN

CHILE PEPPER

COME, SWEET BIRDS

CRICKET, CRICKET, CRICKET

DELIGHTFUL TREAT

DESERT LIFE

DESERT MARINES

DESERT SNOW

DESERT SUN

DUCKS AT THE EDGE OF THE RIVER

DUST DEVIL

EARLY MORNING QUIET

EARLY MORNING RAIN

FLOW RIVER FLOW

GEM OF THE SOUTHWEST

GOPHER

HUMMINGBIRD

HUMMINGBIRD FLITTING

HUMMINGBIRD NESTING

KOKOPELLI DANCERS

LONGING FOR RAIN

MARSH FEEDING WONDER

MISTY MORNING

MONSOON MADNESS

MONSTER IN THE DESERT

NIGHT SOLDIER

NOCTURNAL FEAST

NOVEMBER CLOUDS

PARCHED

PEACEFUL PALO VERDE

PEOPLE OF THE DESERT

PRAYING MANTIS PREYING

PRISON HILL

QUECHAN PEOPLE

RABBIT HIDING

RIVER RAFTING

ROADRUNNER SHY

SHOWERING WITH LIZARDS

SING, SING, SING

SUDDEN RAIN

SUNSET

SWEET DOVE

THE BALLOONIST

THE TUMBLEWEED DANCE

THINGS I LIKE ABOUT YUMA

WATER

WHISPERING SAGUARO

YUMA COUNTY FAIR

DEDICATION

To all the poets,

dreamers, naturalists, and desert rats who enjoy the

great outdoors, and all the many treasures it holds.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I have enjoyed writing stories and poetry all my life. Living in the desert has given me many opportunities to write and explore the desert southwest.

Many things in Yuma and around Arizona gave me ideas and inspirations to write the many poems in this book. My Creative Writing Professor, David Coy, assigned the class a