How it were and is

  * how it were and is *
The old travel trunk is lined
Wallpaper and newspaper
Harks back to another age
Of journeys taking weeks
Not a swift day long flight
Of Empire travelled to in ships
Waterways the travellers highways
Between one continent and the next
Where the Captain's table was an honour
Crossing the dateline celebration
Rather than a plastic fork and knife
A tray of warmed up eratz food
Provided at 20000 feet
By a crew who dreamed of excitement
Found themselves instead
Nursemaids and butlers to fractious passengers
Packed three to space set for two
Either heading home to work
Or flying off for brief desperate respite
From the mundane monstorousity
Of everyday the same old life