I saw no planes today
expecting Air Force One
such an empty blue sky welcome
to the Green Mountain state
a good run again in winter gear
but I felt sure
I was missing something
maybe a chance
to glimpse history
in November ’63 I escaped seeing JFK
from the too crowded room in a New York hotel
as the elevator pinged “up”
I peered back one last time
in ’81 as the Secret Service looked on
I shook George Herbert Walker’s hand
in the Holy City of Charleston
in ’95 I bypassed security unknowingly
walking through a Burlington bank lobby
was searched, questioned and
delayed just long enough to miss Clinton
today the best I could have done
would have been to stand on the curb
in proximity to history
waving at big black cars with flags on their fenders
hoping for a glimpse of Obama
instead
I ran my regular four miles
on a brisk clear morning
ate a bowl of cereal
and typed these words
as history passed by without me
Barry DeCarli
March 30, 2012
Copyright 1012 Barry DeCarli
