kite flight

[No. 3 from The Children’s Collection]

“True courage is like a kite; a contrary wind raises it higher.”
–Jean Antoine Petit–Sennpetit–Senn

kite time    
     is flight time,
          as night time
               is quiet time.
                         i'm looking for a big, fat breeze
                              to lift my kite above the trees,
                         for sitting here upon the earth
                              cannot reveal its true flight worth.

long tail
     is strong tail,
          but prong tail
               is wrong tail.
                         a kite without a streaming tail
                              is bound, when it is flown, to fail;
                         mad fluttering will bring it down
                              before it gets to see the town.

wide sail,
     good glide sail;
          bad tide sail,
               bad ride sail.
                         sturdy and colourful kite wings
                              will make a happy kite that sings,
                         for, as it dances on the wind,
                              the cares of earth are left behind.

idle
     kite bridle
          may tangle
               kite angle:
                         a kite must have the perfect poise,
                              if on the wind lift it must rise;
                         for if its drag exceeds its thrust,
                              its weight will land it in the dust.

kite line,
     that tight line;
          its flight line,
               its lifeline:
                         i reel it in and reel it out
                              to stop it wandering about;
                         and, when the april wind is gone,
                              i know my kiting day is done.

© Copyright 2023 November 15
by Clyve A. Bowen♫