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