Awoke this morning with a mighty start,
Suspended in the inky void.
Tried to slow my racing heart,
My dreamless slumber now destroyed.
Reached for where I knew the lamp was,
Where I though it might have been,
Came up empty, hurt my hand ‘cause
There’s a wall where lamp had been.
Confusion, now, my brain has gripped,
I start to wonder where I am.
Veneer of smugness now has slipped,
Consult my mental diagram!
Roll across the bed and fall out,
Find myself upon the floor.
Why am I awake? A call-out?
Search around for bathroom door.
Find the bathroom. Find the light.
Of course! It’s slowly coming back!
Could it be time for my next flight?
‘Cause if it is, I’d better to pack!
Frantically, I quickly shower,
Dress and fill my useless bag;
Leave the room, descend the tower.
God! This life can be a drag!
Make my entrance to the lobby,
In uniform with cap in hand.
Hotel staff all look so snobby,
Crew has gone! Well, I’ll be damned!
‘Twas then I spied the lobby clock,
My heart then sank just like a stone.
It’s 2 am! Oh what a shock!
Of course, I really should have known!
Ten hours early, I am now –
A trial run, of course, I planned.
Vacate the lobby with a bow;
You frequent flyers understand!
Stephen Tomkins
13 July 2015
Shanghai.
Author’s note: I make no comment as to whether the above incident actually took place.
Pondering Poet Pilot 
I’ve always had a fascination with pilots and flight attendants..wondering where they are from, and where they will go. Does it excite you, landing in another country? Or not enough time to see before you board and get ready for the next flight?:)
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Thanks for the visit and comment, Nina. The answer is yes – and no. I find it interesting visiting other countries. That’s the reason I joined an international airline. But at the same time, it’s tiring and often involves a lot of back-of-the-clock flying. It also depends on how much time you have there, which varies a lot. Steve 🙂
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Doh! I hate that feeling! At least…I think I would…not saying anything like that has ever happened to me 🙂 I’m lucky I only have 3 hours time difference at most to ever deal with!
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Thanks for reading and commenting on my poem. Mostly I don’t have a problem but I find it’s the constant changes rather than any one change that cause me issues. That’s if any such incident ever occurred. 😉
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I’m just a spoiled brat and I dislike multi-day trips going east. Oh wait, I just dislike multi-day trips. Ah, the “perks” of flying a little jet 😉
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