De Plane

De Plane

So there we stood,
the only two humans
in sight.

We were perched
on the very end
of a long dock
in the early morning hours,
staring out to nothing
but water
and little green isles.

My gaze drifted
to the sky
as I searched for
the tiny float plane
that was to snag me
off the island
and bring me to Seattle,
from where
I’d then fly
to Los Angeles.

I didn’t need to bother
looking up,
since any engine sound
would shred
the absolute silence.

But look up I did,
again and again,
wondering when the plane
might finally arrive—
and wondering why
I would ever want
to leave this
paradise.

As my ride
finally appeared
out of the clouds,
Charles and I
Couldn’t avoid joking
In goofy accents;
“De plane, de plane!”

And then de plane
made a landing
on the still water,
much as a cormorant
comes in for one;
gentle…
watch it…
whoooaaa,
lower, lower…
splash,
whoosh…
glide…
stop.

Alex Shapiro April 2008