Soaring the Heavens

Here is a poem shared at many military pilot's memorial services. I love the imagery. Don't know that it will be used to honor Daddy, but wanted to capture it here because it's such a tribute to what he loved to do.

source

HIGH FLIGHT

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 even eagle flew.

And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod

The high untrespassed sanctity of space.

Pout out my hand, 

and touched the face of God.

--John Gillespie Magee, Jr.

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