I never want to fall asleep on a runway
That would mean I’ve lost all wonder
No matter how many times I fly
I still want to smile at the idea that the sky would be willing to take me
Even though I bring the baggage of gravity and humanity
Even though I don’t belong here
And I will never equal the complexity of the cloud formations
If I ever fall asleep on a runway it will mean
I’m tired of being inspired
I would have to dream too much and write too much and think too much
And then who would I be?
A mind without dreams would be dead to me
So why spend money flying a carcass to Chicago?
No I’d rather try to nurse it back to health
Defibrillator with my old favorite band
Then hot tea on the roof with a notebook
To remind me who I am
If I ever fall asleep on a runway, please –
You have permission to shake me and rock me
Scream that I can be better than this
Tell me no matter why I’m tired that
I can never be tired enough to ignore
Rocketing into the air and
Making like a bird until birds cannot catch me
Then making like a vertical train on steroids
Touching the clouds on my outstretched palm
This is what dreams are made of
Dreams are things on runways because
They have not yet taken off but
They have all the promise of the open sky
So for as long as there are little cups on
napkins and
The sun still streams through tiny windows
I will never fall asleep on a runway