ODE
It’s a mixed bag of emotions that one generally feels
Seat upright, and all strapped in
Safely still resting on the ground, the three sets of wheels
For a few, first-time jitters within
I speak of course, about this winged metal tube called an aeroplane
Shiny and imposing, man’s fine creation
Oh how magnificent she looks, though not all feel the same
Some flying out on business, some on vacation
Soon enough, the levers will be pushed all the way forward
Vibrations will creep into every seat and window pane
Nothing much to do as you feel yourself being pressed backward
Cutting the air swiftly through warm shine or cold rain
Here comes the moment when we let the wild machines loose
All that man has made, taking centre stage
Some eight hundred souls aboard this beast, with everything to lose
All bound temporarily to this steely cage
Hurtling down the tarmac at speeds unstoppable, from one end to the other
All to escape the monotony of running and instead fly like a bird
Soar to the skies or stop now, if you’re having second thoughts, and go no further
But linger not in between, for ‘tis the point of no return, I’ve heard
Rest assured however, should you feel scared, for all of it has been tried and tested
Lady Luck is accompanying you on this ride
So go ahead and join the ten thousand other metallic birds in the skies uncongested
It’s a mixed bag of emotions that one generally feels
Seat upright, and all strapped in
Safely still resting on the ground, the three sets of wheels
For a few, first-time jitters within
I speak of course, about this winged metal tube called an aeroplane
Shiny and imposing, man’s fine creation
Oh how magnificent she looks, though not all feel the same
Some flying out on business, some on vacation
Soon enough, the levers will be pushed all the way forward
Vibrations will creep into every seat and window pane
Nothing much to do as you feel yourself being pressed backward
Cutting the air swiftly through warm shine or cold rain
Here comes the moment when we let the wild machines loose
All that man has made, taking centre stage
Some eight hundred souls aboard this beast, with everything to lose
All bound temporarily to this steely cage
Hurtling down the tarmac at speeds unstoppable, from one end to the other
All to escape the monotony of running and instead fly like a bird
Soar to the skies or stop now, if you’re having second thoughts, and go no further
But linger not in between, for ‘tis the point of no return, I’ve heard
Rest assured however, should you feel scared, for all of it has been tried and tested
Lady Luck is accompanying you on this ride
So go ahead and join the ten thousand other metallic birds in the skies uncongested
Science is most definitely, on your side
EXPLICATION
EXPLICATION
I am fascinated by anything that can fly; I always have been. I love watching birds and aeroplanes of any size fly by in the sky. It fills me with a sense of awe and envy. The sight also fills me with amazement because up there in the skies, there’s a lot more space to move about; I love the feeling of not being shackled to the ground all the time, and of course, there’s that splendid view of a bird's eye that I will never tire of.
Since my ode may not have been fully successful in conveying all that I wanted to, I thought I should break it down as well, and luckily, I am a little better at that... So here goes…
“It’s a mixed bag of emotions that one generally feelsFlyers feel a range of emotions just before takeoff. Some thrilled like me, some bored and tired of it, some sleepy, and some nervous because it’s their first time. For now, the airliner is still safely resting on the ground that we know so well.
Seat upright, and all strapped in
Safely still resting on the ground, the three sets of wheels
For a few, first-time jitters within”
“I speak of course, about this winged metal tube called an aeroplaneThe modern airliner is inarguably one of man’s greatest creations. It is capable of flying hundreds of passengers to different continents every single day. It is also shiny and gracefully streamlined in appearance, although there are many who look at it as no more than an everyday tool that helps them go about their business.
Shiny and imposing, man’s fine creation
Oh how magnificent she looks, though not all feel the same
Some flying out on business, some on vacation”
“Soon enough, the levers will be pushed all the way forwardQuite soon, the aircraft will be cleared for takeoff and the thrust levers will be pushed forward to apply forward thrust. The jet or propeller engines will receive fuel and begin to scream and the entire plane will start to buffet about, and push you back against your seat, and accelerate briskly whatever the weather.
Vibrations will creep into every seat and window pane
Nothing much to do as you feel yourself being pressed backward
Cutting the air swiftly through warm shine or cold rain”
“Here comes the moment when we let the wild machines looseHere, ‘wild machines’ refers to the combination of all the bits that make this flying beast work the way it should; the colossal engines, the numerous electrical and mechanical moving parts, the computers, etc. Takeoff is a crucial section in a flight, and now all of them must work as planned. Its continual success is comparable to a well-rehearsed musical orchestra.
Like a grand orchestra, taking centre stage
Some eight hundred souls aboard this beast, with everything to lose
All bound temporarily to this steely cage”
A typical Airbus A380 jumbo plane can seat around eight hundred passengers. The last two lines of the stanza gently remind us of the number of lives involved in this endeavour.
“Hurtling down the tarmac at speeds unstoppable, from one end to the otherNo matter how well we think we (man) have mastered the art and science of aviation (which we have quite well actually), there will always be something left to chance. There are brief moments during a flight when the cockpit crew becomes passengers as little or nothing can be done to change things around them. For example, during takeoff, the speed beyond the 'V1' mark is sometimes called the point of no return. It is called so because beyond that point, takeoff can no longer be aborted and rotation (pulling the nose up and climbing) is imperative. While it possible to perform a climb with one failed engine or even a tyre blowout, it is in these moments that we feel scared and hope everything works as designed.
All to escape the monotony of running and instead fly like a bird
Soar to the skies or stop now, if you’re having second thoughts, and go no further
But linger not, in between for ‘tis the point of no return, I’ve heard”
“Rest assured however, should you feel scared, for all of it has been tried and testedThe same feelings of doubt and fear, only multiplied tenfold, must be felt by astronauts that are strapped into rockets headed for space. More so, probably, during the early days of space exploration when things were less routine and the risks were higher.
Lady Luck is accompanying you on this ride
So go ahead and join the ten thousand other metallic birds in the skies uncongested
Science is most definitely, on your side”
Luckily, commercial aviation is by no means strange to man. It has been a routine affair for several decades now, and to this day remains the safest way to travel.
SOME THOUGHTS
An ode is composed primarily to take the time and acknowledge the beauty and value of a person or object, and that by itself, is a beautiful thing to do. So I decided to write one of my own in an ‘irregular’ style in dedication of aeroplanes and science.
It is likely that although my ode started out in appreciation of this wonderful flying machine, it may have turned a little dark while pointing out the risks involved in takeoff and landing and may have soured the mood. It was never meant to be that way. It was merely meant to point out the brief moments in any scientific endeavour, even in one so commonplace as this, where man has little or no control and can only sit and observe while what he has built works its magic.
Some of the machines that man has built is designed to work tirelessly everyday without faults, and yet every time I watch them work, a strange feeling of awe comes over me. I love the feeling just before a takeoff; for those few minutes, I am reminded that all that that is about to ensue is a result of what man has been building and perfecting over tens of years. Amidst all differences like religion and race and culture, man has united to build something so wonderfully useful and beautiful, and that’s what really matters.
In these moments when you have no control and yet everything is completely under control, it is easy to see how science (if I may call it that) becomes something you ineluctably start to believe in no matter what kind of person you are.
Thank you for reading my first ode and its obnoxiously long explanation.
Until next time...
Vignesh
