Tropical Tales No. 20 - Vol 1.
- High Flight
Jimmy
Gogan, the pilot who was famous for sky writing
in our skies killed himself today as he was
writing: "Vote," when his planed crashed at
Perry Airport. Investigators are trying to
determine what caused the crash. As is our
tradition when we lose a pilot, we wish him
God's speed:
HIGH FLIGHT by John Gillespie Magee, Jr.
Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth,
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling
mirth of sun-split clouds - And done a hundred
things you have not dreamed of - Wheeled and
soared and swung high in the sunlit silence.
Hov'ring there, I've chased the shouting wind
along, and flung my eager craft through footless
halls of air. Up, up the long, delirious,
burning blue I've topped the windswept heights
with easy grace where never lark, or eagle flew.
And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod
the high untrespassed sanctity of space, put out
my hand and touched the face of God.
God's speed Jimmy as you fly off into the
sunset....
This poem was mailed by John Gillespie Magee
from Europe to his father in the United States
during WWII, but the pilot never made it home.
Ever since, it has been read at every pilot's
funeral.
Alinka Zyrmont
