[dts32041]

HIGH FLIGHT

by

John Gillespie Magee, Jr.

Oh, I have slipped the surly bounds 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 thousand things

You have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swung

High in the sunlit silence.  Hovering 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.

---

[Tax-chick]

"I'm not going to die ... I'm going Home like a shooting star!"
(Sojourner Truth)

[yoe]

Thank you for posting that beautiful poem, I couldn't find my copy.

If you Freepers haven't already, now is the time to lower your American flag to half-mast.

[ELS]

That is beautiful. Thank you.

[alrea]

Rex's Blues / Townes Van Zandt

Ride the blue wind high and free
She'll lead you down through misery
Leave you low come time to go
Alone and low as low can be


If I had a nickel I'd find a game
If I won a dollar I'd make it rain
If it rained an ocean I'd drink it dry
And lay me down dissatisfied


It's legs to walk and thoughts to fly
Eyes to laugh and lips to cry
A restless tongue to classify
All born to grow and grown to die


Tell my baby I said so long
Tell my mother I did no wrong
Tell my brother to watch his own
Tell my friends to mourn me none


Chained upon the face of time
Feeling full of foolish rhyme
There ain't no dark till something shines
I'm bound to leave this dark behind


Ride the blue wind high and free
She'll lead you down through misery
Leave you low come time to go
Alone and low as low can be