Flying Elefant

Wind north-east on runway two
I hear the engines' surge of power
She thunders through my field of view
At a hundred miles an hour
And the rain-soaked asphalt quakes
Veils of spray obscure the midline
Wheels lift and off she takes
In search of the sunshine

Over the cloud line endless freedom shines bright for us all
Not a worry, not a fear, so they say
Rises up to pierce that blanket so grey
Leaving powers that make fools of us all
Looking puny and small.

I see her tilt and climb away
And watch her slowly disappearing
But when her tail lights fade to grey
She's out of sight, not out of hearing.
For her vict'ry cry is loud
As a peal of distant thunder
A call from those above the clouds
To the rest of us still under.

The rumbling fades, I turn away
To find my jacket’s leaking water
The smell of coffee wafts my way
From the observation quarters
In the puddles kerosene
Reflects the clouds in swirling rainbows
I guess my heart has always been
Chasing up where the plane goes.

Over the cloud line endless freedom shines bright for us all
Not a worry, not a fear, so they say
Rises up to pierce that blanket so grey
Leaving powers that make fools of us all
Looking puny and small

Reinhard Mey
"Über den Wolken"
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