i wander through the desert
until the soles of my feet turn tough
my sweat feeds salt back into the earth
the sky grows darker with each step

as the moon rises over the mountains
my body grows weary and slow
yet my legs do not stop
the air freezes my mouth shut

i run through the desert
a coyote howls behind me
i see my blood dripping from its teeth
my flesh rotting in the sand

the sun rises but i am still afraid
i pass an animal skull half-buried
and imagine that it is my own
vultures pecking at my brain

i crawl through the desert
exhausted from dehydration
sharp rocks grating against my hands
my blood soaking into the ground

an oasis appears before me
clear water shimmering with temptation
as i crawl closer and reach out for a sip
my mouth fills with sand

i lie in the desert
burning deeper into my fate
my skin glows cracks red
smoldering lava in my bones

hundreds of years later
my body finally returns to the earth
bits of me scatter across the land
as i wander with the wind