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Creating the illusion of flight

 

The pensive next-door neighbour said:

‘I’m sure I saw him leave the ground.

He flapped the wings against the wind,

But then there was that crashing sound.’

 

That was the moment I arrived,

As he lay prostrate on the lawn,

Surrounded by a broken wreck;

His odd ambition still unborn.

 

His target was to be the first

To lift off under his own steam;

To generate the force to fly

And realise a lifelong dream.

 

The optimist in all of us

Was rooting for him to succeed,

For his contraption – strange, hand-made –

To reach unprecedented speed.

 

To elevate away from Earth

And soar above the countryscape.

Instead of which it lies in bits,

Bound carelessly with sticky tape.

 

The man next door was quite convinced,

An insisted unabated,

His friend was briefly in the air.

Thus illusions are created.

 

Despite our fears, our man was fine:

Nothing more than a few bruises.

He’ll build again his box of tricks

And work magic when he chooses.

◄ An English tale

A prisoner's verse ►

Comments

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Stephen Gospage

Mon 19th Oct 2020 15:27

Thanks to Keith, Emeka and Brian for their comments and to everyone for the likes.

Keith, thanks for the story from more innocent days. I remember working on something similar with friends as a boy, but I don't think we got as far as trying it. Emeka, you are right and we should all follow our dreams. Brian, I'll pass on the advice - it might just make the difference!

<Deleted User> (18980)

Sun 18th Oct 2020 18:45

Red Bull would have given him wiiings.

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Emeka Collins

Sun 18th Oct 2020 18:19

Flying is possible and to fly is to remain undeterred.

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keith jeffries

Sun 18th Oct 2020 17:31

Stephen,

this poem conjures up all sorts of chaotic images in my mind. My brother and I, when young, tried to convert his bicycle into a winged kite in the hope that we could take to the air as we sped down a grassy slope. We ended up in a huge muddy puddle. Since then I have stayed with reputable airlines.

An enjoyable poem and thank you for this.

Keith

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