D. A. Prince
Flight Path
Overhead the cabin lighting eases itself into focus
as the first croissants begin their slow defrost
circling, stacking, flaking;
starting to leak grease and artificial colourings,
to smell of confinement, to shift their shape
just a little, just enough.
The air's been round so often it knows
every long-haul lung intimately, every nostril
caked in the dry itch of waking.
Each stewardess in fresh support tights
mimicking temptation with plastic orange juice;
as though tea and coffee have just been invented.
Descending into daylight, ahead of the sun,
where the diary's taking over, tracking
the deep veins of meetings, projects, buy-outs;
into the news flash and headlines, into
the different throb of traffic, the foreign accent
of greeting, getting to know you, landing.
as the first croissants begin their slow defrost
circling, stacking, flaking;
starting to leak grease and artificial colourings,
to smell of confinement, to shift their shape
just a little, just enough.
The air's been round so often it knows
every long-haul lung intimately, every nostril
caked in the dry itch of waking.
Each stewardess in fresh support tights
mimicking temptation with plastic orange juice;
as though tea and coffee have just been invented.
Descending into daylight, ahead of the sun,
where the diary's taking over, tracking
the deep veins of meetings, projects, buy-outs;
into the news flash and headlines, into
the different throb of traffic, the foreign accent
of greeting, getting to know you, landing.
Page(s) 22
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