We arced from LaGuardia,
bending back across those
queens of cemeteries and
the concrete landscape, and
there was the city with its
bumps in the middle and
bumps at the bottom and
its green rectangular
heart.
Then the clouds – and
the city was gone, wrapped
in its own disappearance.
It all looks different
From the air, it all
looks different, especially
the sky: less blue, clouds
of plowed snow edged
with slush, blues and
whites mixing to gray;
like crossing a tundra
of snow and frozen
lakes, icebergs floating
through pools, cloud convoys
moving together in
formation for safety.
Rays of the westward sun
turn blue-gray to muddy
brown, while the firmament
wonders back at you.
Photography: Lower Manhattan by Ned and Marc. Used with permission via Picasa.
17 comments:
Poems on a Plane! A new hit movie perhaps? Seriously tho'...great stuff. My favorite line was:
Then the clouds – and
the city was gone, wrapped
in its own disappearance.
Beautiful...thanks for sharing!
Beautiful words- I'm jealous- I could never remain relaxed enough on a plane to write something that easily flows.
(NOT a fan of flying)
I liked the second poem. Wonderfully written. :)
:)
What a creative way to spend time during a flight. I like it, like it, like it!
Love JC's "Poems on a Plane". How creative that would be, to get everyone on a long-haul flight to recite a favorite poem or make one up. Would make a great feature story.
The stuff you have to go through to get on a plane these days is not fun but I still marvel every time I go up and come down, and experience all the space between.
Lovely imagery of clouds as plowed snow, cloud convoys, queens of cemeteries.
You make me wish I had somewhere to fly to . . .
Always a broader perspective from a higher elevation!
Clouds of plowed snow edged with slush . . . I can see that!
Loved the green heart. It's a wonderfully hopeful image. Thank you for choosing that to say of my city! :)
The poem itself was wonderful too. "Wrapped in its own disappearance." Perfect.
Poem airborne from the heart ... thank you.
Airborne poems -- very cool!
You have a great way of closing these poems. I love the last line of each. Especially #2.
Nice.
"Then the clouds – and
the city was gone, wrapped
in its own disappearance."
Having been to NY, I find that statement true on more than one level.
Great stuff, Glynn
while the firmament
wonders back at you
I love to travel, I love to fly. I wonder at both firmament and its Maker every time. I'll now do so with greater awe, to think of the firmament in wonder.
Is the sky really less blue? Having never flown, I would have thought it to be even bluer that what I see from the ground.
That image makes me want to hurl...and that is no reflection of your writing, just my lack of balance and fear of heights and uncertainty of things heavier than feathers slicing through the air.
...while the firmament wonders back at you. Love that!
Blessings.
These are lovely Glynn. I especially love "and the city was gone, wrapped in its own disappearance." Such a poignant word picture.
We will be flying in a few weeks. I am looking forward to the view.
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