A Poem in Four Parts

[breathtest]

I

airport terminal.
so many feet, so many
heads, so many bodies
in various states
of decay.
the citizens of the world
gathered in one place,
small groups
talking amongst themselves,
knowing their craft.

my view of this wide hall
is cinematic, like
a child's view of everything.

II

radio. music. sounds.
and the hush of passing automobiles
and the gentle breath of a
sleeping mother.
towns and villages passed away
far behind
and the calm rocking of suspension.
feet not touching the earth
in miles.
the sea has beaten us to our
destination.

III

clouds like painted clouds,
a long tin with holes for sight.
livers, kidneys, hearts ceaselessly
moving forward and breathlessly
distant from the world.
yellow strobe lighting, sounds
of guns, horseplay in the cockpit,
liver spotted captain
speaking loud and clear, passengers tense
and frightened, waiting
to be told how to go on existing.

IV

intense white heat, exiting the plane,
plane nauseated and shivering,
passengers calm and in control, rooted to
earth again, that place
of birth and death, life
and tears,
an angel danced upon ruthlessly for centuries.

[Hawkman]

I really enjoyed this, breathtest. It is acutely observed with vivid images succinctly and elegently expressed. Good one.

H

[PrinceMyshkin]

my view of this wide hall
is cinematic, like
a child's view of everything.


stood out brilliantly for me as did that all-encompassing last line of part IV.


clouds like painted clouds

is a bit of a clunker, though. Even if one works one's way through to the subtlety of it, there's not enough pay-off.

[Jerrybaldy]

A brilliant dissection of a flight and much more. It felt that every line held meaning and that the four parts helped to cast away any unrequired linkage.
cheers
jerry

[hillwalker]

Not just a physical journey - a precise dissection of much more.

H

[Delta40]

what a nice way to highlight each leg of a journey!

[breathtest]

thank you for your comments everybody.

Prince, i agree that 'clouds like painted clouds' is not the best way i could have expressed this. I've been trying to think of other ways, like 'clouds, as if they were painted on'. i'm sure i can come up with something better.