FLIGHT OF THE ROLLER-COASTER
(Old Sunnyside Beach, Toronto)
Once more around should do it, the man confided ...
and sure enough, when the roller-coaster reached the peak
of the giant curve above me, shrill screech of its wheels
almost drowned out by the shriller cries of its riders --
instead of the dip, then the plunge with its landslide of screams,
it rose in the air like a movieland magic carpet, some wonderful bird,
and without fuss or fanfare swooped slowly above the amusement-park,
over Spook's Castle, ice-cream booths, shooting-gallery;
then losing no height made the last yards across the beach,
where its brakeman cucumber-cool in the last seat solemnly saluted
a lady about to change to her bathing suit:
ending up, as many witnesses reported later,
heading leisurely out above the blue lake water,
to disappear all too soon behind a low-flying flight of clouds.
(Old Sunnyside Beach, Toronto)
Once more around should do it, the man confided ...
and sure enough, when the roller-coaster reached the peak
of the giant curve above me, shrill screech of its wheels
almost drowned out by the shriller cries of its riders --
instead of the dip, then the plunge with its landslide of screams,
it rose in the air like a movieland magic carpet, some wonderful bird,
and without fuss or fanfare swooped slowly above the amusement-park,
over Spook's Castle, ice-cream booths, shooting-gallery;
then losing no height made the last yards across the beach,
where its brakeman cucumber-cool in the last seat solemnly saluted
a lady about to change to her bathing suit:
ending up, as many witnesses reported later,
heading leisurely out above the blue lake water,
to disappear all too soon behind a low-flying flight of clouds.