Marfa Lights

East of the Chinatis near Paisano Pass
they appear like an Apache apparition,
signal fires bespeaking the next foray.

Tonight a thin and broken line of light,
shimmering filaments, fluorescent waves
that slowly recede before fading away.

Later, three glowing balls pop on and off,
melding to a spotlight bright globe before
diminishing in intensity and disappearing.

Bent light, swamp gas, maybe St. Elmo’s fire
or the moon reflections of hidden mica veins,
the theories abound but the mystery remains.

Some see it and some don’t, so I am thinking
maybe it’s an optical illusion, and like life,
we only see whatever it is we want to see.