Desert of Inspiration
Poems by Roger Blakiston

Anyone who has visited Sedona, in the high desert of Arizona, will know that it is one of the most beautiful townships in the world. I am fortunate to live there. My home is nestled midst spectacular scenery, with views of red rocks and ancient vortexes. It is the perfect environment to inspire a poet, and hence the title of this book, Desert of Inspiration. Many of these poems were written while I was out on my daily hikes.The poems are in the exact chronological order that they were written. I averaged writing more than one poem a week over a two year period. You can follow my path of inspiration and imagination during this time. I take you through the four seasons of each year. You will find deep, thoughtful poems; poems of fantasy, and humorous poems, as you explore my magical world. I am a professional magician, but also have a strong connection with the magic and miracles of nature. I was born in Northumberland, England, the son of an Anglican clergyman. As a child, I lived in vicarages with large gardens, and always enjoyed outside activities such as climbing trees, playing amongst wildflowers, and creating rock gardens. I felt my spirit was in tune with Mother Earth and the elementals. During these early years, I was also performing magic tricks and writing poetry.The last two poems were written in March 2020, when planet Earth was in a turbulent time with the pandemic known as COVID-19. How this was all going to play out was unclear when the book was published, but we were certainly going through times of great change. I am hopeful that many good lessons were learned by humanity from this experience. There are powerful, positive, and profound messages hidden within these chapters. By inviting my listeners to look inward, I hope to make them see their true light, where there often appears to be only darkness and shadows. Enjoy the journey! Roger Blakiston