my ear just popped

my ear just popped
I guess I'm officially
down to earth,
not quite sea level
but grounded,
at least

For a while there
I was too high to do anything
but chew gum, and look down
in wonder
at how the lights
of cities and towns,
seen through the thin, doppled
layer of clouds
threw an angry orange glare
upwards, in my direction
making everything look like
smog and fire, and future dystopias

In places, the whole horizon was lit
by that evil glow

I just shut up, and
kept going