vale
the last signal’s gone
a hushed throng, a frozen time
the heavy engines pitch their roar
and winged thunder streaks the runway’s length
steel wings slip into the night
in the darkness, the blink-black of receding lights
quick stars among the stars
blink-black, blink-back –
all gone
touchdown love, joy, sorrow, hopes, thrills, horizon-fillers
and file their baggaged passengers, disillusion, frustration, cynicism
after brief pause, other calls to make
depart with dissipating noise
blink-black, blink-black, merge with the stars
why did they have to land at this airport
when’s the next flight
what, none for the while
why then there’s quiet on this front
but a drone boding of new traffic
of rush and thunder and bonds tearing
like reluctant roots ripping from the earth
blink-black, blink-back in the sweet salt night
oh my soul! must all thy loves retreat
vanish in fast-fading sounds and dwindling lights
krm