Expert Verified Answer The poet wishes to convey the idea that people have superstitious mindsets and believe in ancient and traditional rituals and habits that appear lovely but are detrimental to our society, much like a gloomy desert where there appears to be water but is not truly there. They think these things will bring them happiness when actually they are bringing about their downfall. The word "desert" comes from the Arabic word "dusir" which means empty land without people. So, a desert is an area of dry land with little vegetation where nothing can live. Today, we use the term desert to describe any area of land that lacks natural water even if it has plants and animals living on it, so don't assume just because something isn't wet that it can't be part of a desert. For example, consider the Sahara Desert or the Great Australian Desert. Both of these deserts are extremely arid regions of the world where nothing can grow due to lack of water. The Sahara receives very little rainfall (30 inches per year on average) while the Great Australian Desert only receives slightly more (35 inches per year). Even though both of these deserts seem like they would contain water under the surface, this water is locked up in ice forms high in the mountains during the winter months and released into the soil when it melts in the summer.