Aeronautical Origami
AERONAUTICAL ORIGAMI
It was my father taught me
How to make a paper plane.
Aerodynamically perfect,
He’d hit the target time and again.
And one day, in desperation,
I decided to use the art
To try to make an impression
And win a young lady’s heart.
I’d fallen in love with Jill Smithers
On the very first day at school,
But never got round to telling her,
In case she thought me a fool.
And so I made a paper plane,
Just as my dad had taught,
And put a little note inside,
Telling her what I thought.
I launched it across the classroom,
Carefully aimed at Jill,
But soon it became apparent
That I lacked my father’s skill.
It veered one way then to the other,
It had a mind of its own.
Until, as watched in horror,
It suddenly dropped like a stone.
It didn’t land on Jill’s desk,
As I had hoped it would.
Instead, it landed in the lap
Of a boy called Charlie Good.
My note said, “Meet in the playground”
And, at lunchtime he was there.
He said he hadn’t realised
That love was in the air.
Twenty years have passed since then
And we are together still.
He says he’s forever grateful
That I lacked my father’s skill.
21th August 2022
Paper Airplanes poetry contest
Sponsor - John Lawless
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