These Are My JOTtings, Part #2

Flying Home with the Snow Birds

Getting up we dress anon,
prepare the coach to fly.
Perching in our nested seats
we wave to kin "Goodbye."

Our takeoff ambles toward the start
of the interstate and speed
to join the flocks of homebound birds,
who fly and sleep and read.

But when two major flying lanes
converge and feathers fluff,
the flying slows to awkward strolls,
and going is quite rough.

When Wisdom speaks, we leave the flocks
to take to flyways less.
We rest 'neath Starbucks' coffee face
for fuel to fight the press.

Our new path finds us flying graced,
until we must, again,
rejoin the flocks of snow birds north
to destination win.

The flocks upon the main flyway,
meandering in search
for a place to lift-off and resume
some speed before they perch.

When finally Florida was past,
and Georgia smiled upon
the angsty, weary travelers needs,
they flew, again, anon.

Released on northern flyways soared
the snow birds back to rest.
Betimes our homebound route renewed
to find our perch most blest.

by Jay O'Toole
on December 1st, 2019