I tried rewriting a bit. Please let me know if this is an improvement. I need a good two syllable word in the second line of the second stanza-suggestions welcome. Desert Rain They say the desert misses the rain. The barren land, so vast and still, Is no stranger to danger and death; It spreads 'neath a burning sun, Miles of rock and clinging plants; Cactus grow despite the drought Standing for a century or more Conquering the endless heat. Yet, the desert misses the rain. Cloudless skies of deepest blue Hold the fiery " " orb Scorching weary earth below. Shadows hold no cool relief For wanderers of the rugged waste. Saguaros dot the rugged slopes, Remains as from another age. Still, the desert misses the rain. Then the sky conceals her face And wrings the bloated clouds; The drab stone world returns to life: Dried twigs burst into bloom, Green invades the brown and red Softer beauty spreads o'er the land. But ever the blinding sun returns, Again to suck the landscape dry. Yes, the desert misses the rain.