Sandinista Avioncitos
The little airplanes of the heart
with their brave little propellers
What can they do
against the winds of darkness
even as butterflies are beaten back
by hurricanes
yet do not die
They lie in wait wherever
they can hide and hang
their fine wings folded
and when the killer-wind dies
they flutter forth again
into the new-blown light
live as leaves
Commentary
Patten’s poem submitted by Nandini [Poem #1084] triggered a rememberance of this poem. I read it in a Metro bus one day (as a part of the Poetry In Motion project) and it has stayed with me since then. This poem evoked and still evokes in me “Great Expectations” after the “hurricanes” to go forth into the wind “live as leaves”. And since trees will soon change colors and leaves will fall, the imagery somehow adds to the current season, a positive vibe. This is quite unlike Rilke’s Autumn.
And if nothing else the poem should go forth on to the list for the complexity (O(n^2)) of the title!! ;-)
Sashi
Links
The Poetry in Motion project:
[broken link] http://www.mta.nyc.ny.us/nyct/pim/pg_1.htm
[broken link] http://www.poetrysociety.org/motion/mapsite/pimpoems/newyork/ny.html