Mind?!?!?
The fact that an (ex) USAF guy would honor a post titled, "BURY ME WITH SOLDIERS," is just enough to prompt me to post...
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,
Put out my hand and touched the face of God.
- John Gillespie McGee, Jr.
No. 412 Squadron, RCAF Airman, Soldier, Sailor, Marine, Coastie. We're all brothers-in-arms.
Poetry by Lady Buchanan
Brothers in Arms
It is a warrior society, my Brother-in-Arms.
You trust no one until they bleed with you,
Or prove the value of their souls by sacrifice,
And as men, fight for that which is right,
And protect from that which is wrong.
Since our days of wooden swords we fought together.
Braw lads in the steps of Arthur and Lancelot,
Chafing until the day we were old enough,
To be presented our newly forged great swords,
The ancient Dal Riada torques put upon us.
The hours of sparring, sweating, straining,
Steel on steel, I see your every move in your eyes,
At the very moment you conceive the action.
And you know my consistent imperfections,
Pressing your advantage to keep me honed.
I know what events will make you spiteful.
I know when you let anger rule your sword.
Over time I have learned how to engage you,
To bleed from your heart the dangerous emotion,
Leaving you spent but your conscience clean.
Our knowledge of each has no measure.
We know the whisky the other can take,
At times fall together in drunken abandon.
We laugh at each other’s attempts at love,
And grieve with the other for the heartbreak.
We execute together the good Chief’s will.
In the dark cover of the night we steal away,
For preparation of the next day’s incursion.
By artful diversion drawing from each other,
The near discovery of patrolling armed sentries.
At battle’s dawning I know when you fear,
A passing terror I never let you back down from.
A time of whispered words of encouragement,
That my self and sword will always be your safety,
No matter how pitched or horrible the fight.
As mercenaries we stride forward together,
Weapons at the ready, sure in our skills,
For the frenzied battle that ensues.
You the trusted presence making me braver,
Than perhaps good sense would dictate.
We can hear his voice echoing from the past, Merlin chants.
And he guides us to revive the Red Dragon and his people.
In our mind’s eye we see Arthur bold in battle, our inspiration,
Against the White Dragon’s desolation of our home.
Our proud heritage regained in every thrust and swing of our blades.
On the Judgment Day I hope we fall together.
For if I suddenly turn and find you dead,
My chance to avenge will be my only goal.
Then I will set my sword by the standing stones.
With you rent from me, I will never fight again.
