Arches carved by nature’s knife
Bluebells bursting into life
Columbines the bloom of state
Deer tracks cloven hooves create
Elk herd standing tall with pride
Fox pups posting side by side
Ghost town eerie without sound
Hay bales scattered on the ground
Icicles sharp as frozen quills
Jagged mountain hiking trails
Kingdoms crumbled long ago
Leaves ablaze with aspen glow
Mountains scraping sunrise skies
Needles snagging autumn’s prize
Overlook from cliffside throne
Petroglyphs etched into stone
Queen’s crown flowers pinkish-red
Rainbows stunning snowy spread
Sunset stripes standard across the sky
Thunderstorm in hot July
Unicorn on vlast plateau
Vista painted white with snow
Waterfall of misting spray
Xeriscape done nature’s way
Yampa river far below
Zig-zag formed by gentle flow
About Maddox Stacy
Author’s note: Maddox Stacy is 9 years old and loves his home state of Colorado, the inspiration for this poem. He is a fourth grader at the Vanguard School who loves maps and wants to be a tornado chaser when he grows up. He wants readers to know that he made up the word “vlast,” which means “green and vast.” Maddox hopes this poem will help people not take Colorado for granted.
Editor’s note: Maddox has been reading since he was 4 and has been experimenting with poetry since about age 6. This poem, entirely composed in front of his father and handed to me in Maddox’s best cursive handwriting, is an experiment not just with the alphabet, but with rhyme, meter and alliteration, all of which are concepts that intrigue him. It is my honor to share this poem. –DeLyn Winters
