On a whim I can fly
In a dream,
As I soar on wings
It thus seems,
Of ethereal things
Be a flight so real,
The ascent I can feel…
As I ride on the wind
I hear Zephyr sing,
Yet could not tell
If it spoke of Phoenix,
And his trip to hell
When rashly he’d fly,
Which I’ll ne’er risk
As so high he did fry,
For my soaring is fixed
In the dream I so fly…
Now on billowy clouds
Soft feathery things,
Their gentle pull bides
The while one clings,
To this surreal ride
Said fabric for dreams,
That dresses the skies,
In clouds made for dreaming!
written at Amsterdam Airport
© Jean-Jacques Fournier
April 10, 2002
Poetry on a Canapé 
I love the thought of you writing this poem in an Amsterdam airport. Was it the Schiphol airport?
Yes, it was Schiphol airport… I was flying back to Canada from France, and my normal flight was rerouted for reasons ( 18 yrs ago) I’ve since forgotten… something like engine problems. In any event I haven’t forgotten the very beautiful fair-weather clouds we encountered, when and which we flew over on the last leg of our arrival in Amsterdam. A four hour wait time for the continuing flight to Montreal, was enough time for me to write a poem, of fanciful imaginary flight as described. I completed it on the next and last seven sleepy leg of my trip. I’ve done many of this type of poem, which I find most enjoyable as well as a good brain exercise thru these otherwise long and wasteful flying periods.
Jean-Jacques
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Background stories add so much to the enjoyment of a poem. Thank you!!!!
I like this very much! It reminds me of the British Romantics.
Thanks again Liz… Without being cerebral, written at an airport during a tiring four hours’ wait for a connecting flight back to Canada out of Germany, having come in over fair-weather clouds, the fantasy of Clouds for Dreaming was an easy inspiration. This poem also influenced quite a few other of this genre that would follow.
Jean-Jacques
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Wordsworth et al. would approve!
You flatter me my friend, for ’tis impressive company indeed…!
A gorgeous poem my friend. It had a dreamy, airy touch to it.