Descent

Journey's end.

The plane

glides down

like a swan

from its place

among the stars.

Those who look up

in the night

become an audience

to its twinkling lights.

Where are those people from?

Why do they come here?

The questions

draw to a close

as the plane lowers

further,

out of the horizon

window frame.

Sleeping passengers

rouse themselves,

opening their eyes

to see a city

of constellations,

man's lights reflecting the

higher galaxies beyond his world.  

Seat belts are fastened

and suspense grows

as altitude diminishes.

The dark ground

below grows closer 

and closer.

Lone cars move fast

on quiet highways,

indifferent to any watchers

in the black sky above.

Airport runways

come into focus,

then fences,

then terminals,

other planes

from other places.

Finally...

impact.

The blast,

the shock,

the thrill.

The massive bird

comes to a calm

and struts proudly

to its gate.