(Seven thousand feet high in the Cascade Mountains of Southern Oregon, Mt. Mazama, an extinct volcano and monarch of all the range, collapsed. A beautiful lake of indigo blue now lies within it crater. To the scientist, "A mighty volcano collapsed within itself". To the poet, "A sea of sapphire blue. The sea of silence."

CRATER LAKE

So still, so peaceful, placid-blue,
Guarding a monarch's grave from view;
No sound but breathless silence -- deep,
Nor rippling waves disturb his sleep,
Mazama's gone! but in his wake,
A lovely jewelled sapphire lake,
Born of chaos, fire and smoke,
Turbulent nature didst invoke
Mazama's fall -- that thou shouldst be --
Silent, mysterious sapphire sea.