GRAVITY

The trainer buzzes down the taxi way.
Inside the student pilot takes a deep
Breath. His first solo: stiff upper lip.
The drill is simple. Get your speed, they say,

Pull back the stick, steady, and lightly rise
Into the spacious, soft, accepting sky,
With elbow room on either side and higher.
Time to relax and smile, until you try

To double back. The airy part is fun,
But now descent to unforgiving pavement,
Brutally solid, stony as the grave–
A beast to slay before the day is won.

And gravity seems a little bit absurd.
Consider: up is easy; down 1s harm

(22, 6/2/92)

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