33 Comments
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Neil Barker's avatar

Nice - I especially like these lines:

"When you float like an uncertain

word looking for a sentence. When you

become the liminal space through which

time must pass on its way back to you."

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Rajani Radhakrishnan's avatar

Thanks so much, Neil. It was an interesting experience, especially when the pilot let me take control for a while!

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B S Freeman's avatar

What a beautiful poem to come. You take to the air, you take it in, you help us breathe. Thanks.

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Rajani Radhakrishnan's avatar

Thank you, Brad. Glad it resonated. It was a surreal experience.

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Rajani Radhakrishnan's avatar

@rena Thanks so much for sharing. 🙏

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David Kirkby's avatar

Dear Rajani...

You capture the inherent uncertainty of flight - untethered, moving in three dimensions - 4 including time - everything relative.

"When you float like an uncertain

word looking for a sentence."

That perfectly describes how I felt, taking flying lessons, as I came to Earth in search of a safe landing - an uncertain pilot, looking for an airstrip. omg....

Dave :)

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Rajani Radhakrishnan's avatar

Thanks so much, Dave... the short time the pilot let me take the controls (or pretended to, more likely) was absolutely magical...the endlessness and the smallness strike you at the same time!!! I should have taken flying lessons when I was a lot younger :)

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Nazish Nasim's avatar

I have always wished to fly. I love how you have given homage to it and led us through your life. Beautiful ❤️

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Rajani Radhakrishnan's avatar

Thanks so much, Nazish... being in a tiny microflight was a completely different experience from commercial aircraft...completely vulnerable yet (or because of that) able to feel everything so much more...

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Mahdi Meshkatee's avatar

You never cease to amaze, Rajani🕊️

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Rajani Radhakrishnan's avatar

Thanks so much, Mahdi :) We are...we try to be...more than the sum of our experiences :)

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Rebecca Cook's avatar

WOW. WOW. WOW. WOW. WOW.

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Rajani Radhakrishnan's avatar

Oh Rebecca, thank you...too kind!!! So glad you liked this poem.

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Martin Mc Carthy's avatar

Within us, we all have the capacity to fly and do so quite often in our dreams. But we are trapped here on earth for now and tend to forget that part of us - forget that we are winged beings too. Love this piece, Ranjani, and thanks for reminding me!

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Rajani Radhakrishnan's avatar

Thanks so much, Martin...your words are powerful ... people as winged beings somehow reminds me of Rilke's angels...so glad this poem resonated!

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Martin Mc Carthy's avatar

I love Rilke, so I think you understand perfectly where I'm coming from.

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Rajani Radhakrishnan's avatar

Me too...Rilke is a class apart!!!

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LeeAnn Pickrell's avatar

This is lovely. I’m right there, flying with you. And the ending is so perfect.

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Rajani Radhakrishnan's avatar

Thanks so much, LeeAnn. Glad you're there, flying with me :)

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Rajani Radhakrishnan's avatar

@Billy Mann Thank you for the restack 🙏

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Billy Mann's avatar

Beautiful. Great work.

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Rajani Radhakrishnan's avatar

Thank you, Billy.

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Jennifer Wagner's avatar

Evocative imagery, Rajani. Beautiful poem~

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Rajani Radhakrishnan's avatar

Thanks so much, Jennifer.

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Paul Wittenberger's avatar

Fine work, Rajani, evoking the feeling of flight in words!

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Rajani Radhakrishnan's avatar

Thanks so much, Paul :)

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Paul Wittenberger's avatar

A pleasure!

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Brendan's avatar

Ever have dreams of flying? How did they compare to the real deal?

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Rajani Radhakrishnan's avatar

The dreams have no equipment :) Reality was completely surreal...I'd love to try it again!!

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Sonia Dogra's avatar

Your words capture your experience beautifully. I was literally there with you.

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Rajani Radhakrishnan's avatar

Thanks so much, Sonia...glad you were there!!! :)

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Kerfe's avatar

I recently read something about how you know you're no longer a child when you realize you can't fly. But I always wonder if our mind, or whatever it is that is who we are, isn't always capable of leaving the body behind.

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Rajani Radhakrishnan's avatar

That is deep... and that ability to soar without the burden of the body is perhaps what possibility is..or dreams...or vulnerability...whatever it is, it is vast and transforming! Thank you, K...I'll be thinking a lot about this for a while!

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