American Airlines Sutra

By Ishmael Reed

put yr cup on my tray

the stewardess said 40,000

feet up. (well i’ve

never done it that way. what

have i got to lose.)

i climb into a cab & the

woman driver is singing

along with Frank Sinatra

“how was your flight coming in?”

(another one. these americans,

only one thing on their

minds).

Copyright Credit: Ishmael Reed, “American Airlines Sutra” from New and Collected Poems. Copyright © 1980 by Ishmael Reed. Reprinted with the permission of the author.

Source: New and Collected Poems (Self-published, 1988)