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On Monday, President Obama was in Troy, NY, which is about 25 miles north of my house, to give a speech on innovation, education, and the economy at Hudson Valley Community College. the 12534, a wonderful and indispensable blog devoted to All Things Hudson, marked the event with a post. That evening as I recollected my impressions I felt inspired to leave a comment, and the following morning the 12534's webmaster, North Fifth Street, gave it the Comments Ahoy treatment (ever an honor!) and made it into a separate post. Since I've now started this blog, where I intend to gather leaves that otherwise I tend to scatter all over the place (and ultimately lose track of for myself), I'm taking the liberty of reprinting my accidental poem here. I trust you don't mind, Mr. North Fifth Street - and thank you for the title, as well as for the idea of the perfect accompanying image (now, that idea I am shamelessly stealing).

I was in my kitchen and watched his speech. I loved how he thanked "whoever organized the weather."

Afterward, daily life transpired in my home, during which I shut off the TV.

Then I was back in the kitchen, and turned the TV back on. It was a live-shot of Air Force 1 leaving Albany International. The blue behemoth seemed to lumber, then improbably take off. I crossed my fingers as the anchors mindlessly blathered.

That thing looks heavy.

Just north of Hudson I watered the garden, let lunch wait until maybe I saw the plane fly overhead, or on the horizon.

Minutes passed and we speculated.

How'd he go down to NY or Washington - via Chicago?

And where are the escorter jets?

Finally, 20 minutes later, a jet streaked solo, so so so so high up in the big blue sky.

Godspeed.