‘The only place I feel alive is on the wire.’
-Karl Wellenda

1977, at age 72, walked
a 720-foot cable
about 2 football fields - from the
Miami Fountainebleau to the Eden Roc Hotel,
170 feet above the ground
crowds of people watched
the marvelous feat of balance,
the walk ‘the toughest stunt
of his life’ up to that point

Puerto Rico, one year later,
73, went flying
not from age, or misstep,
but the gust of wind
off the Caribbean
& the poorly strung guy-wire

live TV,
dropped 120 feet,
hit his head on a parked taxi,
& five minutes later
pronounced

no great surprise
Karl, the founder of
The Flying Wallendas
wanted to finish the journey
in the same way
he lived - no risk, wasted life

disclaimer
foolish risk?
life wasted





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