Atlantic Express (Part I)

(Montreal- Paris- Beirut)

Its 5:00 pm on a Thursday

Distance: 2300 miles to Paris

And over the Atlantic Ocean

My mind wanders-

It wanders

like the infinite ripples of the below waters

of past, present, and coming future-

it has almost been one year

of a life- away from family and friends,

of a life- away from my native land and nativity,

a life of one becoming a citizen of the world!

the fuschia horizon glimmers at sunset

from an altitude of 35.000 feet

and takes me to my mind,

to memories of longing

of faces I have not seen nor recalled

for some time.

I smile.

I smile with a tear in my eye

to this bittersweet desire of the familiar-

my face, stained by a streak of a salty trail

reminds me of the residue left behind

like the regression of the vast Atlantic tide

along the shores of the isle of Great Britain.

 

1811 miles to Paris

And lost time takes its toll…

Light to darkness

And a leap into some infinite loop

Reverberates every molecule of my restless body

to a flight of closing eyes

and a reminder of the uncomfortable position

My body is in-

 

Still agitated and no control over

Space, time, or sleep

And out the little window

A spark of beginning light

shimmers

in a straight mild pink-orange line

and a sense of calm of sky

touches my inside

soothes my fallibility-

 

it’s the end of the loop

and a 1200 miles have passed!

Marie, the 60 year old passenger

wakes up next to me

And says “c’est 5 heure le matin” with a smile

that comfortably shines on her face…

 

Landing…