Source: this blog post, from all the way back in November 2010.
I wrote this poem about snow globes:
Snow Globe
As soon as I read the sign in the airport forbidding snow globes
I longed for one.
I didn't have one in my bag,
And in fact I don't own one at all.
But suddenly I imagined miniature towns
Shaken into winter wonderlands,
Delicate cottages covered in white.
I imagined the whole building shaken by some divine hand,
And the Fort Lauderdale airport giving way
To fluttering white feathers
Frosting
The hair of travelers,
The laptops in their grey plastic bins,
The matching t-shirts of mission groups.
The official yelling about people with water bottles in their carry-ons
Mellowed as he gazed about at the Christmas card scene,
The lovely snow-globalization of his workspace.
There was much ooh-ing and ah-ing
And the restaurant on Concourse E sold out of hot chocolate.
But no, snow globes are not allowed.
There will be no wintry vistas,
No sleigh rides,
No jingle bells
No cool wind except what comes out of air conditioners.
Instead the TSA will continue to remove our shampoo and toothpaste from us
(Our safety is their priority),
And the X-ray machine will continue to scan passengers,
Each one unique,
Like a snowflake.
2/27/12
I also thought about this song when I saw the snow globe sign:
Here's today's Poetry Friday roundup.
8 comments:
I LOVE this!
Snow globalization. That's a fun concept to think about.
I love this, too! I'm going to save it in my poetry journal. Thanks, Ruth.
I do have snow globes. Two that I pull out of our Christmas decorations every year. Maybe I need one for year round celebration. I've never seen that sign. I was all prepared for the crazy one I saw in Minneapolis after coming through security. "Recombobulation Station"
Beautiful & alarming all at the same time. Your poem reminds me of the anxiety I feel about people removing their shoes, making them so vulnerable. I love that you took such a command & turned it into something of beauty. Thank you!
What a thought, no snow globes....the loveliness of your poem makes the rule all the more sad.
I will think of you every time I fly and see this sign or any sign about what not to pack. The longing for something so beautiful, how something so innocent can be perceived as a threat, the sense of community amongst airport strangers. Your beautiful poem made me think of another I love - Naomi Shihab Nye's "Gate 4-A." I think you will love it too. a.
This is so great!
Love this! "snow-globalization" - that's terrific. Even better than Doraine's sign she saw, "Recombobulation Station" - but that brings cheer as well. Thanks for "shaking things up" this week.
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