Image: Departure day lunch, soup and ranch crackers or in Jojo’s case crackers and soup. Yes, she likes a bit of soup with her crackers.
7.05.26: 183) Departure day, for once cold an’ grey
Hoodie may be the order of the day, Can hear planes in the sky
A reminder that this afternoon I will fly
Homeward bound, but memories will abound
First breakfast for Jojo an’ me, waffles, honey an’ Yorkshire tea
Sat outside takin’ our ease, watchin’ squirrels playin’ in the trees
Safe an’ sound not like those on the ground
Where they can, be at the mercy of man, not caring about habitat sharing
An’ I still frown thinkin’ about the one that got knocked down
It died, I cried, an’ to show I care I buried it and said a prayer
It’s spirit free for all eternity
184) Almost packed, a few things left but not bereft
Memories abound, I’ve broken new ground, new places been an’ seen
Memories to make me yearn to return, those hours to fill, an’ I hope I will
185) Me an’ Jojo say goodbye, tryin’ not to cry
We hug like often before, leavin’s the hardest part of any tour
An’ we always feel the same, can’t wait for April to come round again
Once more an’ we’re reunited on another poetry tour
But now with heavy heart, time to depart
An’ look forward to next years roam, in my beloved Yorkshire an’ home
186) Roads clear, good time made, car dropped of just so
Sign says leave the keys an’ go
Check in, there’s only a few, then customs an’ soon I’m through
Three hour wait, find the departure gate
But first ring Becca an’ Jojo to tell, all’s goin’ well
187) I’m on the public patio watchin’ planes take off, an; traffic run
Along Interstate 71. There’s a call for me I wonder what it can be
I get to the gate desk and find, I’d left my passport cover behind
At check in but thankfully my driving license was in it because
It told them who I was an’ on the inventory they could see
Where it needed to be
I felt a fool but was when me an’ it were reunited
188) Final chat with Jojo, we wish each other well, an’ I tell
Her once more how great it’s been. All we’ve done an’ seen
They call for boarding group four, we can talk no more
So to the plane bound, seat found
Then it’s boarding complete, we’re taxiin’ away
Safety instructions given we’re on our way
Seems to have taken a while then we’re at the runway end
Time abatin’ we’re waitin’. Then we roll, one last look at I 171
We’re in the air, the homeward flight has begun
189) Through the air we’re goin’ I got the music flowin’
Instrumental not voice, Baroque my first choice
Harpsichord then strings an’ sounds like an intro I know so well
Canon in D by Pachelbel. To my delight I’m right
Now sit back, relax an’ enjoy the flight
190) Music not too loud, I’m lookin’ at a sea of cloud
Eastwards we go, I’m wonderin’ what’s below
Somewhwere in America cos’ we’ve over 7 hours to go
An’ we’ve to fly through the night
So I’m wonderin’ how many more poems I’ll write
191) They’ve announced the choice of meal vegetarian option or chicken
I hope it’s not too drear, an’ better than the chicken we had last year
Now the Baroque’s nearlly done, the finale could be huge
Bach’s Toccata and Fugue, but in fact, it’s an extract
The final track is one to inspire,
The Hallelujah Chorus, from Handel’s Messiah
192) Cloud gone for now, from what I can see
We seem to be over Tennessee. An’ I’ve got classics on once more
Listenin’ to many a musical score. An’ my inspiration’s grown,
I’m composin’ one of my own. Not music but the written word
An’ one day it may be heard. When I’m in Texas once more,
193) North East we go, lights on in the houses below
Flying into the night, waiting for the first meal of the flight
Skyline a reddish hue we a while before daylight
Meal comes, nothing to fear, far better than last year
I look out an’ see, towns lit up as far as can be
An’ we’re getting on an ENE setting. I’m lookin’ at the ground
An acordin’ to the map can just make out Long Island Sound
It’s lookin’ like, the land we’ll soon be beyond
An over the stretch of water nicknamed “The Pond”.
08.05.26: 194) I wake and find we’ve flown through the night, it’s daylight
Blind up it’s Friday, London 1 hour 40 minutes away
Clouds below like a forest of grey, sun rising in the sky, onwards we fly
Cloud thinning the further we go, I can see the Atlantic far below
I’m thinking breakfast must be nearly due,
So for now I’ll relax and enjoy the view
Listen to the engines sing, watching the sun rise over the port wing
195) Breakfast comes round, choice of burrito, or egg, cheese and bacon wrap,
I opt for the wrap, just the thing for this travelling chap
I bite, it tastes alright, my eyes close in ecstasy and delight
Don’t let any go to waste, savour every taste
Ireland’s below as coffee’s brought round,
In less than an hour we’ll be on the ground
196) I’m looking through the music choices and I smile
One choice Irish folk music just right for flying over the Emerald Isle
So I relax and let it flow,
Knowing that in under 40 minutes we’ll be on be at Heathrow
197) Past Ireland, now over South Wales,
I’m sure I felt the plane descending, as the flight’s ending
I look at the pilots HUD* and to my delight I’m right
Pilot has everything just so and we’ve 24 minutes to go
Now for some classic hits from some good old Brits Powerful and mighty
Ideal when flying over good old Blighty, Walton, Elgar, Britten and more
Each tune a fantastic score. Handel’s ZadoK the Priest to sat the least
Once more on England’s green and pleasant landscape
And I’m not going to gripe about the Sailors Hornpipe
Now it’s no more standing, cabin crew prepare for landing
Down we go to Heathrow, to word by Blake, music by Parry
Jerusalem to my delight the perfect finale for the end of the flight
*Head-Up Display. a transparent screen, that projects critical flight information
198) Waited while the rush to get off abated
Got off and began the trek to the customs check
I still think it’s a pain having to do it again
But soon it’s done, now it’s wait for time to abate
Things go right and I catch my final flight
199) Its been a long wait, I find out the gate, A2 and join the queue
Board but there’s a bit of a wait, we set off 20 minutes late
Getting in the air we’ll soon be there
To Manchester and once again to end my roam
A taxi to take me to my beloved Yorkshire and home.
