Native American tribes of this area have ancient stories of how their remote ancestors emerged from the under-world into this world.  One such story locates this place of emergence at the small sunlit hill in front of the mountains in this picture.  I painted this pastel inspired by a picture I took of this scene, which John and I drive by every time we go from Sedona to the nearby town of Cottonwood.  Here is my poem about it:

SIPAPU: PLACE OF EMERGENCE

A small womb-like hill

framed by towering mountains;

golden fields; new life

emerging from dark shadows

deep below life's bright surface.