Tiered Approach

Two thick volumes lay stacked beside the reading lamp. Tiered elevation. I surveyed the glossy embossed lettering along the spine before taxiing ahead. My twin pontoons tracked smoothly across the textured cover, catching slightly on the stitched seam near the binding. Clean grip. Wing struts cleared the rim with ample margin. At the edge of the upper book, I cut momentum and halted. Below, a brass paperclip and a fountain pen rested along the dark desk surface like ground markers. Stable vantage. Ready for holding pattern.