Water levitated out of the rocks and faux rocks,
In front of the lobby and in back of the pool. Water
Features prominently in any serious desert effort
At conjuring a promise of earthly paradise,
Oases with gardens in them, miracles drawn
Out of sand, dust, and stone. The giveaway,
In this case, as in all, was in the way the water
Was channeled, fluffed, and constrained. It was
Wasteful, yes, but not generous. A small two-way
Waterfall out front, tumbling out of a fountain
At the top of a heap of red rocks, then pouring
Down either side, vanishing into the ground
To be pulled up again. And in the back, a barely
Disguised swimming pool filter, concrete painted
To look like a red rock outcrop, and another
Waterfall returning the filtered, treated water
To the pool. Observing these features, the swimmer
Considered how consistent the human method
For selling other humans back their dreams
At a profit, for an advantage in the constant
Exchange and bartering of resources. Look
Powerful, extravagant, even magical, but keep
Your resources in reserve. Show paradise,
But tightly control the rate it evaporates away.
Make it seem like the impossible is on offer,
The perfect combination, nothing but sunny
Weather and endless water to play with.
The swimmer remembered a wintry mountain town,
Its shopping mall court with hanging tropical gardens
While grey sleet moaned above the glowing stores.
The same. Wasteful, yes, but not generous.
That was possible. The swimmer had been
Both generous and wasteful, therefore profligate,
A great failing. But generosity without waste,
No, that had never been possible. Water
Features living and dying, coursing and falling,
Condensing, stagnating, evaporating. It follows
The rules that can be channeled, never broken.
It doesn’t feature miracles, save for holy fools.
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