poem: |
  Honey said: Estou viajando. 
  Literal translation: I am traveling.
  I understood: She was tripping:
  her mind wandering
  to places and spaces 
  far and near, 
  clear and opaque,
  leading her unto a state
  of elevated consciousness.
  Perhaps something could be amiss.
  She wouldn’t know.  
  She’s focused on the microcosm
  of pleasure and sensation.
  I say “Legal, boa viagem.”
  Loosely translated:
  Cool, have a great trip.
   
  Better yet, why don’t you just take me with you?
  I want to see what the 10,000 foot view
  looks like from a different plane.
  Not a plane that flies.
  A plane of consciousness
  where I can sit back, relax, 
  and enjoy the Height.
  Yeah mon, Height, 
  Dat what da rasta Etiopian 
  call it in d countryside.
  There a dime sack is really a dime.
   
  I find myself wonderin
  how do I get a ticket to ride?
  Might I persuade you to share?
  Affirmative. I got five on it.
  See, I’d like to escape the reality
  that’s been weighing me down:
  I awake lonely,
  reaching for a phantom lover
  as I greet the new day,
  totally infatuated with an idea.
  Is there any confusion why I am confused?
  I’m bored with this topic,
  so let's drop it.
   
   
  Can I board yet? 
  I don’t have any baggage.
  Other than that what I carry on.
  No, I can’t see it either.
  But I’m sure its there.
  Packed and ready-to-go.
  And I imagine it’ll fit 
  underneath the seat in front of me.
  That is if I can get it off my back.
   
  No, 
  I don’t have 
  an itinerary
  and later, 
  I may not remember
  where I’ve gone.
  Rest assured, however,
  I’ll enjoy the ride

  Preparing for takeoff,
  I  tear a piece off the safety card 
  from the seat pocket in front of me,
  and roll it into a crutch.
  Anybody got a light?
  Legal!  Let's ignite 
  and lift off.
   
  Breathing deeply
  in a sweet cloud bank,
  I embark.
  Estou viajando. 
  I am traveling
  Tudo bem. 
  All is good.
   
  At 10,000 feet, 
  I can barely make out 
  the rivers of tears cascading 
  through the valleys of pain and despair. 
  I find myself mesmerized by the
  rugged ridges of strength and courage
  leading unto plateaus of love and hope. 
  I am exhilarated by the snow-capped peaks
  of excitement and experience.
  Spectacular and majestic,
  they enhance the landscape,
  dwarfing the plains below.
   
  I see no grand canyons or death valleys,
  only the vast expanse of plains,
  sprinkled with minor variations 
  in elevation and topography,
  adding character to the landscape.
  Gullies of guilt abutt 
  fields of empathy.
  Meadows of tolerance 
  nestle among forests of acceptance.
  Streams of honesty fill 
  lakes of integrity.
  I admire the cliff of unconditional love.
   
  Appreciating the plains
  allows me to fully absorb 
  the beauty 
  das montanhas
  of the mountains
  Without peaks and valleys
  the topology is boring
  and meaningless.
  É importante 
  It's important
  to distinguish
  the intricacies of the terrain.
  How else might one orient themselves 
  towards the peaks?
  It's all so clear at 10,000 feet
  cuando 
  estou viajando.
title: Cuando Estou Viajando
author: daveed.meta