Re: Night Launch -- Unicorn

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Date Posted: 10:52:47 06/22/02 Sat
Author: sp99
Author Host/IP: pool-63.53.97.239.nwrk.grid.net / 63.53.97.239
Subject: Re: Night Launch
In reply to: Harmony 's message, "Night Launch" on 19:23:59 06/20/02 Thu

A poem that enables one to see this
launch in one's mind, hearing and smelling
the sea, wonderfully done Harmony!!! Thanks!!!
SuSanne

>Night Launch

>At sea the moonless, mantled night
>Is blacker than a hundred midnights
>Deep in the maw of a cypress swamp,
>And the carrier's running lights
>Are hooded and dimly impotent.
>
>Sixty feet above the sea's foaming curl
>Sleek swept-winged birds are unchained
>From a gray steel slab--the flight deck.
>Whining and howling engines contain
>The turgid power to sustain flight,
>
>The inky blackness is punctuated
>By director's glowing amber wands,
>Like syncopated fireflies
>Beaconing signals with practiced hands,
>Guiding blind craft to the catapult.
>
>The movement is a symphony
>Of frantic, chaotic precision
>That reaches a shuddering crescendo
>With each taut, measured decision
>To unleash the catapult's awesome might.
>
>Each cockpit is an instrumented
>Womb of pale red profusion,
>Eerily silhouetting mask and helmet
>Donned by young lions--their calm tension
>Mounting as the critical moment nears.
>
>First a red wand circles, stabs the gloom,
>Urging throttles forward to ignite
>Twin afterburning tongues of flame
>Searing the fragile veil of the night.
>The tethered bird shrieks and strains to soar.
>
>Then the green wand--all is right--
>Signals in a graceful, swinging arc.
>Powerful scalding, steam is unleashed
>To hurl the bird into the milky dark,
>Jolting the pilot with blurring force.
>
>And the loud, sweaty ballet goes on
>As each winged chariot, one by one,
>Is given the wrenching gift of flight,
>Until the last is away and gone,
>Engines' thunder fading in the night.

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Replies:

Re: Night Launch -- AAAAGGGSSS, 11:07:13 06/22/02 Sat

Re: Night Launch -- Harmony, 11:10:59 06/22/02 Sat

Re: Night Launch -- Harmony, 11:11:44 06/22/02 Sat