"Canyon de Chelly - Magical Navajo Ground" Canyon de Chelly National Monument by Trekki

Canyon de Chelly National Monument Travel Guide: 105 reviews and 342 photos

Canyon de Chelly - Panorama of 1 of the 3 canyons

Do not be afraid
of the emptiness around you
If you remain here
your eyes will grow accustomed
to the desert light.
Then you will be able
to distinguish between seasons.
You will begin to see
the citizens of this country
and realize you are not alone.
As each sun rolls over you
on its journey west,
you will grow
quieter with listening
until you can hear the dry
whispers of scorpins,
and the mountains grinding
against one another with desire.
The cloudless sky
will send all shadows
to places of refuge, but you will
live on the head of a pin
where your needs are balanced
and night comes as a knife
so sharp you feel no pain
but there is a new scar
every morning.
If you give the scars a home
and cherish them,
you will become silent
and worthy of exile, and beautiful
beyond all witnessing.

by
Richard Shelton

Last visit to Canyon de Chelly National Monument: Dec 1995
Intro Updated Dec 18, 2005
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Teec Nos Pos Navajo rug - Canyon de Chelly National Monument

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Comments (12)

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GentleSpirit Oct 4, 2012 at 11:45 AM

Ingrid, the poem was so perfect:)
at first it feels like emptiness, then it changes,
when you appreciate how much life is in these wide open spaces that seem so empty at first
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  Trekki Oct 7, 2012 at 11:29 AM
  
  Thank you Val :-))) Thanks also for having read this page & poem - I almost forgot it. And reading it again, it makes me ... well, it helps me in this strange time - to learn again which things and landscapes once meant so much to me... and mean something again now :-)
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hunterV Nov 15, 2009 at 2:09 AM

Thanks for your poetic story, Ingrid! It's great you've been there....
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maztek Dec 9, 2007 at 8:30 PM

True poetry...well related
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Grazina Sep 6, 2007 at 11:42 PM

When your ever in Navajoland again come visit LeChee near Page America/Lake Powell...we have wonderful slot canyon to hike.
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robertgaz Jul 2, 2006 at 8:28 PM

Thunderbirds are go!
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VeronicaG May 31, 2006 at 10:41 AM

What beautiful topography--it looks kissed by the sun! Amazing beauty....
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sim1 Apr 29, 2006 at 12:35 AM

Canyon de Chelly.... wow! Wonderful panorama photo! Wonderful poem!
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TheWanderingCamel Feb 4, 2006 at 7:52 AM

My favourite place in all the South-west! You should see it with snow on the red rock - wonderland! Do you have more to add? leyle
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tiger9090a Dec 14, 2005 at 7:51 AM

Canyon de Chelly was a big positive surprise to me when I saw it for the first time in real life. And my fav spot there was exactly where you too took the panorama pic! Danke schoen.
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scottishvisitor Nov 19, 2005 at 3:10 PM

Nice photo hope for more!