As I travel through soft white vapours
Gazing beyond aboard flying vessels,
Wheels and wings provided unable
To navigate distant oceans beneath
I wonder, if only Leo could see.
If only he could see the lands from above
Checking though cartographies for accuracy,
See the different shades of water, sandy traces
Delineating margins, contemplate the jungles,
Deserts, mountain summits valley lakes.
If only he could see enveloping clouds,
Hear the roars of propulsion-hunting engines,
Feel his mass be pulled by gravity, his body
Grow heavy as speed increases, light at take-off
Weightless in cruising. Rise higher than birds
Prove there are no limits.
If only Leo could see the colossal planes
Suspend in air, wink at Mona Lisa and tell
Incredulous acquaintances he was right,
It did not call for a genius to conceive,
Humanity’s talent and capability to fly.
[Featured painting: Conceptualization of tank and helicopter, drawing by Leonardo da Vinci]