Surrounded by Others ~ Tuesday, 12 September 2017

Seated in the middle neither window nor aisle at thirty thousand feet unable to lay down horizontal to rest to sleep to take a nap requires great patience a level of restraint not to freak out on board requires awareness for the needs of others to remain calm to meet obstacles head on deal with frustration with fear by remaining engaged understanding somehow this is ephemeral in time this too will pass never make your burden known beyond the hard skin of your crab shell your flesh deep beneath crawls with ants anxious to find their way out get up take a crap ending your confinement in the lavatory until the toilet roared deafening a vacuum sucks your shit far away within this remote space beleaguered you return after washing your hands now no longer enraged yellowed with cowardice who would you complain to who wants to smell your gas obliterate the will the ego to triumph by survival the mesh touches you catches fish leaping out of the sea into a nylon net heaven at a distance as you start to descend your ears pop from pressure endless unease with heights cramped compartment spaces buckle your seatbelt trace reserves keep you buoyant lift you up in spirit as you land drenched in sweat sure you've given away your once calm demeanor the jewel you so treasure