Leap of Trust by R.Kane

We thirteen waited and watched through the afternoon.

The soft landings, the hoots of joy comfort my slight fear.

Small specks appear on high then blossom,

like multicolored dandelions on the wind.

Viewed a video of a cult like fellow explaining tandem jumps,

Then I’ve signed away any and all fault for a leap of trust.

My jump number is called and I’m fitted with my harness.

We jitney to the plane; I say dating myself, it’s so Sky king.

We board our plane already strapped together tandem,

First in so we’ll be last to jump out, we straddle the bench.

I feel the decided tugs as he tightens our binds,

I’ve never been so close to another fully clothed.

We climb as steeply as a sled ride of my youth,

As we reach altitude I know that this is getting real.

At 13,000 feet we jump head back, legs folded,

We must be like a banana we were told.

At the tap of my shoulder I spread my arms and legs,

A plummet of two miles, awe is what comes to mind.

The rush of wind deafens me, my goggles cinched tight

Yet tearing sheets across my covered eyes.

I feel the comforting shock of an open chute,

Now we’re the dandelion fluff poised on the wind.

There’s Rancho seco, nuclear cooling towers so distinct,

other landmarks, Mt. Diablo, Marin headland, High Sierras.

We chat on our decent back into the summer heat.

He rotates so I can pick out Sacramento’s skyline.

The landing field is rushing closer now and we land,

I so want to do it again; awesome is all I can say.

©2006 Richard Kane

AKA R.Kane