The two boys in front of me,
6 and 4,
Are nervous about our takeoff.
Mom explains the flaps on the wings
And the lift into air
As we rumble down the runway.
6 holds up both arms,
Like he’s on a rollercoaster,
And 4 does, too.
With hesitance.
Once we’re aloft, though,
Everything’s smooth.
4, almost whispering:
“We’re flying over a barn.”
I can’t see his face,
But I hear his voice
And its unbridled awe …
“I can see the whooooole town.”
And then
We’re in the clouds.