A poem by Rick Masters (Provided by Craig Muhonen)

Description

The picture is of a hang glider, near Telluride, Colorado, in 1979. Both the picture and the poem were provided by Craig Muhonen. Here is the poem, written by Rick Masters: "You embrace her and feel her tremble and sigh, responsive to your touch. You pay attention to the air ocean you are about to enter. You don’t turn your back to it’s waves, lest they sweep you away. You don’t make a bunch of ridiculous and distracting choreographic moves at the critical moment of take off. You stand firm and focus on the sky that beckons you. You stand firm and focus on the movement of the air coming up the hill towards you. A gust? A thermal? The devil? Your hang glider is completely ready to go, trusting you to guide her. You stand there, confident, in quiet excitement, feeling her fly on your shoulders like an ever wondrous and powerfully fleet, obedient Gryphen about to be released from her cage. You see the grass ripple. You watch the birds. You listen to the words of the wind, sometimes you wait for signs of a thermal teasing the bushes. You wait for the right moment, when the wind feels perfect, with your fabulous wing already flying inches over your head, responsive to your every command. You trust her. Then you take a few steps and fly away to heaven. You are joyously and instantly and smoothly transformed into an ethereal being. There is no drama. Drama is for idiots. R.M. 2018" --Taken from an email by Craig Muhonen.