28th April 2023
“This is the world we live in”
Travelling westward
from the far east
on an AK256
in the early morning sky
the sun rises
behind us
an expanse lit like a
studio movie set
seen from the sharp
frame of my window seat
view.
a miracle
route carved out in space
passing through clouds
with the veritable
silver lining
I see an amoeba like form
far below
and figure it out
almost immediately –
an island in the middle
of the ocean
rings of deep green, lighter then
darker making way
to golden yellow sands
into outer rings of aquamarine
deep blue and deeper
Still, unbelievable
then I slumber off
waking up
this magazine
in the front flap
staring back at me
Travel 3
Sixty
it says,
Slam Dunk – Asean Basketball
and inside
suck
squeeze blow and go
how a jet engine
Flies an airplane
Closing up on
my destination
the plane takes
a 180 degree turn
and parts of two
terrains bring
together
an unimaginable
dimension
into view
where the earth
meets water meets
sky in one
big panorama
hitherto
unseen by this
naked eye.
“This is the world
we live in/ And these are the hands
we’re given/…”*
Written at 37000 ft.
- Land of Confusion by Genesis
Poem By Sharmini Jayawardena
From the Collection: Poems From Wet Paint And Others
