Out of the Hard Blue

Out of the hard blue it comes
throbbing, powerful, flinging dust and small stones,
as it clears the swaying tops of neighboring redwoods,
and gives the empty,clear, and calm air
substance, color, and turbulence.
We shield our eyes and turn away
from the spinning propellers as the
helicopter floats slowly down
closer and closer to the playground:
ten feet, six, five, one, done;
and lightly resting on gray pavement,
on the hopscotch lines and painted stars and planets,
the roar of its motor drops from banshee scream
to diminished moan, and finally to whisper
as blurred blades slow, and the flight finishes,
and all motion stops.

Then the school children take over, shouting
as they rush, straining against teachers’ restraint,
to see this amazing machine come to visit.
They gape at what is usually a speck in the sky,
but here it is huge and amazing,
up close, and so real!

After peering in windows, and touching gleaming doors,
and the short speech by the pilot,
(so cool in shades and blue flight-suit)
the scheduled visit ends, and the helicopter
springs again to life, and leaps
into brilliant May sunshine, into
the hard blue sky, and
quickly disappears.