The Wright brothers weave nests
of wood and cloth and wire.
They place the bird next to the engine.
Glenn Curtiss seats the bird
in front of the engine.
Wilbur, Orville, and Glenn can’t agree
on anything except—
I am the greatest bird anyone has ever seen.
I wear the plane.
Tell me roll,
tell me dive,
tell me breathe,
tell me high,
I steer with hands or knees,
I’m first, fastest, highest, farthest,
and I’m ordering a machine
with an aluminum skin, Beachey,
B-E-A-C-H-E-Y across the wings.
Glenn doubts the strength of the alloy.
He’s been saying things like that for years.