A Spitfire from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight crashed on Saturday afternoon, sadly the RAF pilot did not survive.
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 wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or ever 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.
(John Gillespie Magee Jr. (9 June 1922 – 11 December 1941))
I have always found this one of the most moving poems. I am terribly sad about this loss, both of a pilot and an historical aircraft. Heart goes out to his family. RIP
@casablanca Written by an Anglo American, John Gillespie Magee Jr, who flew Spitfires out of RAF Digby in Lincolnshire which is where I completed my last 7 years of service from ‘98 to ‘05.
Beautiful poem.