Light Perpetual.

Today is about remembering all the men and women who died in conflict since the First World War. However I make no apologies for my leaning towards the R.A.F. more than any other service. Call it family history and my love of WW2 planes large and small. Below are two of my favourite poems and I share them with you for Armistice Day.

His place was laid

The messroom clock struck eight

The sun shone through the window on his chair

No one commented on his fate

Save for a headshake here and there

Only old George, who’d seen him die

Spinning against the autumn sky

Leaned forward and turned down his plate

And as he did, the sunlight fled

As if the sky he’d loved so

Mourned her dead.

Breakfast – Hannah M Hunt 1940

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 sunlight 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 un-trespassed sanctity of space,

Put out my hand and touched the face of God.

High Flight – P.O Gillespie Magee Junior

Killed December 11 1941.