Grounding

Grounding

by Ragan Sutterfield

The most surprising things
afterwards
were the silences
the way the clouds hung
grey and rippling
against the air
and the grass snapped
as we walked
about our normal things.

I never knew the calm was like this
how different it was
without the engines
and metal
and long white clouds.

Yesterday, I saw the last
trail of exhaust
break up when the winds came
(some of it settled,
I imagine, somewhere
in the morning frost).

We listened to ourselves
we waited in the quiet.

February 12, 2002