riding the wind
You know how they always say to write what you know? Well, the first two lines of this are something that I think only someone who was both a rower and an engineer could write. And if I ran it by someone else who was both (there are more than you'd think, including the one I live with) he or she would immediately begin an argument over whether the lake's surface is truly laminar. (I think it may depend on how calm the day is, actually.) One note: remember that rowers face backwards, toward the stern of the boat.
I cleave the laminar layer between water and air,
Tracing two dimensions on the boundary plane.
Stretching the spidersilk veil of night's ending
I turn my bow to the still-dark west
And look east to watch the clouds melt in sunrise.
Moving with the dawn-wind now
I feather my blades earlier to let it blow me down my course
And the boat lifts with me
We gather speed
And I am riding the wind.
Posted by dichroic at October 29, 2003 04:59 PM