You're flying the 140, <br />Pull the nose up, up, up <br />The skin crackles and pops <br />Higher you raise the nose. <br /> <br />The frame shudders <br />How much more can you <br />Stand the plane on its tail <br />Until the stall? <br /> <br />Moments are like hours <br />Your hands sweat <br />Tense, you hold your breath, <br />Why are you doing this? <br /> <br />A final breath <br />Hard forward you push the stick <br />Right rudder, the plane spins <br />Down you come. <br /> <br />A perfect recovery. <br /> <br />**** <br />You're solo-sailing the O'Day, <br />Wind's picked up to 30 knots off port, <br />Strong gust, <br />Flying the 150 genoa, main fully out. <br /> <br />Hat blew off long ago, <br />Salt spray stings your eyes, <br />Wedged against the bench at 45 degrees, <br />Arm aches, tiller dancing in your hand. <br /> <br />If you come about, <br />You'll demast and sink. <br />You dropp the genoa. <br />Maybe reef the main later. <br /> <br />Sail on! <br /> <br />***** <br /> <br />You're a moth circling the flame <br />Close, yet closer <br />The heat draws you near <br />Can you recover? <br /> <br />One more time around. <br /> <br />**** <br /> <br />The Wasabi inflames <br />The sharp bite, is it pain? <br />Your nose is in flame, Eyes tear, <br />Top of your head's blown clear off. <br /> <br />You ask for more. <br /> <br />**** <br /> <br />Wearing red shoes with four inch heels <br />Toes crammed into the pointy end, <br />Arch support, never, <br />Heels a flopping. <br /> <br />She dances. <br /> <br />***** <br /> <br />The 'bull' spins, bucks and spins again, <br />A puppet with head and arm cracking, <br />Legs splayed wide, holding on for life, <br />Just a few more seconds. <br /> <br />Ride On! <br /> <br />***** <br /> <br />It's called the 'Handicap Principle' <br />You do it to prove <br />You are strong <br />In the face of adversity. <br /> <br />It's evolutionary. <br /> <br />s<br /><br />Sidi J. Mahtrow<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/handicap-principle/
