A FEW EXTRA SECONDS

I find that urgency to disembark is a universal affliction

Perhaps the world has become more impatient than before

The decision to stand, baggage in hand

Provides a rich tableau to the ones calmly sitting below

Hardly do the wheels touch tarmac 

You hear the clicks of disengaging safety belts 

And throughout the taxi until the stop

You feel the pulse of rising collective anxiety  

Springs appear as soon as wheels stop spinning

As people jump to crowd the aisles

So much hurry to open the overheads

Procure stowed cargo and suspend animation

With eyes on the doors they hold their pose

Diminishing the distance between consecutive bodies

Until the aisle looks like a colourful caterpillar 

Hands, legs, bags and wheels

And thus they stay, squashed together

Nervous patience frayed, Rather astounding

that common sense becomes most uncommon

Because it's only a few extra seconds they are buying