Sitting in the airport waiting to board a delayed flight, time moved slowly. And because of that, it created the most favorable condition to write a poem in heroic couplets. Since reading Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales in Middle English, I was challenged by Jack Foley to write a verse imitating the style.
Four hours later than originally scheduled the plane landed in Portland. I carried the luggage and my first draft out of the airport and into the light rail. Sitting opposite from me was an elderly gentleman. He was very kind and patient with me when earlier I had difficulty getting a ticket from the machine. We acknowledged each other with a smile. He opened a pocket-size book yellowed with age. I opened Chaucer, equally yellowed; and my draft, which was fresh and new. I wanted to tell him I had written a verse in heroic couplets but was too shy. He would have understood and shared my happiness.
