The Pilot Comes Down to Earth
Brandon Cook
When the pilot came back to earth
It was all mirth, for a long moment
A slap on the back, a smile
Cut short by what comes after
The drive back from the tarmac
Hive activity in the hangar
Paperwork
The mundane removing of the flight suit
And the bumpy desert road trip
Back to the base
Where his bosomy wife watched a soap
And told him he was blocking her light
And would he bring her a glass of water
Which he did
Pouring it at the sink
Looking up at another test flight
Which left a long trail of white
Across a perfect sky