changes of altitude, changes of attitude

perspective:

the plane roars through the night

and below me millions of people

each circle the stars of their own lives,

and the lights shine forth where they live,

creating lines and circles of patterns

bedecking the land below me

like Christmas lights flattened against the land,

then we find our way to our son’s home,

here at the center of many concentric circles,

the world close, personal,

those here close to me

and thus a center to a world

I feel I can know,

when my view of others is distant,

my heart can feel distant to them, too,

how can I know all those behind the eyes

who flick the lights on, drive the cars,

fall in love, raise the kids,

choose tv shows and politicians?

the selfish gene is ignorant, and can be stupid,

we and ours are not alone,

we are in a lifeboat--

called a city, a state, a country, the world,

beset by storms and finite choices,

and we have to work together,

or the boat will capsize, 

and we will be lost.

by Henry H. Walker

May 4, ’13