Tuesday, October 02, 2007

WI: The Journey


Pelicans


Imagine
60 miles above Midway
The silica tiles glowing
At 2300 degrees Fahrenheit
With a red light, or white
Or blue like any other early
Star, and somewhere
Off the coast of Florida
The sun rises and a flight
Of pelicans waits inland
For splashdown
36 sunrises after ignition
The blue-flame engines burn
Meteorlike, it falls

The birds fall and rise
Above the blue-green glitter
Of the tide
Imagine
6-tenths of a second after
The last bird dives into a wave
The slight deceleration
The last roll reversal at Mach 2.6
A tail of flame and a double
Sonic boom
Followed by a whir
Of wings


(Photo: Brown Pelicans in the Sunrise, by Shuttershrink)


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8 comments:

Tumblewords: said...

The more I read, the more I crave. You have a depth with the right amount of accessibility. Fine post!

Lea said...

So beautiful... your words take me to flight and into the sunset... lovely.

Pam said...

Tumblewords said it better than I could so I will simply agree.

Robin arrives at my house between 10: 30 and 11 this morning, Batman awaits!

Anonymous said...

You have a skill for making even the frightening beautiful. Your poems always leave me silent - good poetry often does.

Sr. Heather said...

Ooooooooooooooooooooh! WONDERFUL imagery. I was completely there. Thank you for this awesome post.

wendy said...

So..next time you need to be that astronaut. You have such a feel and passion for space...

Did you ever see Space Cowboys?

I think you would like it...

It's a very fine poem.

Joyce Ellen Davis said...

I did see Space Cowboys. But see, the deal is, I am basically a coward, a stay-at-home. Not that I wouldn't jump at the chance take a ride with the astronauts. Maybe....

And I am mathematically challenged.

Joyce Ellen Davis said...

Thank you, everyone who came, and read, and liked. I appreciate your comments!