Guardians ~ Pic and a Word Challenge #51

Monolithic Sphinxes, Sandstone Rock Formation, Canyonlands National Park, Utah, United States of America
They stand
Like guardians
Sandstone sphinxes
At the gate
Of Canyonlands
A world of articulate geology
And exquisite beauty
Under ominous skies
Awash in golden sun

While I imagine pyramids
And Pharaohs
Slaves and Gods
In a dreamtime
Of human greatness
And cruelty

A time when we reached
Into the heavens
And touched the sky
Carried aloft
By the blood and sweat
Of the expendable

A time
Not so different
In the telling
From my own

Sphinxes Bathed in Amber
Sandstone Rock Formations
Canyonlands National Park
Utah, United States of America

Taken during travels, 2009

Last week we explored Perception This week? Take up a post and watch over the world with Guardians, or find some other topic or theme in this photograph of a pair of sandstone monoliths at Canyonlands National Park, in Utah, USA.

The Pic and a Word Challenge is a weekly creativity prompt offered Sunday mornings.

Each week I provide a photograph of mine along with a single word. The challenge? Use the pic and/or word as points of inspiration to create something — a photograph, a painting, prose, poetry, fiction, non-fiction, longread or just a few words. You are welcome to use these two elements (photograph and word) literally, thematically or metaphorically. If you create both images and words, all the better.

To participate:

  • Use any title you like
  • Your response can be words and/or an image
  • You may use my image in your post, or any image you have created
  • Place the challenge’s Pic (if you use it for inspiration) and Word prominently in your post
  • Mention that you are responding to the Pic and a Word Challenge
  • Add a link to this post in your response

To help us find your response, you can also:

Each week, I’ll list the previous week’s responses at the end of the new challenge. I may also share some on my social media: Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr, etc.

Last week’s challenge: Perception

Mittens at Dusk, Near Mexican Hat, Arizona, United States of America
Challenge #50 ~ Perception
The word for last week’s Pic and a Word Challenge #50 was Perception, along with this abstract photograph of a rock formation at dusk near Mexican Hat, Utah.

Three perceptive responses this week. Thank you! =)

View all the Pic and a Word Challenges on the Pic and a Word Challenge tag page.