Friday 11 November 2011

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.

5 comments:

  1. beautiful words, so poignant. Thanks for sharing.

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  2. Both very moving. I too have a special affinity with the RAF, due to grandparents serving in WWII.

    K xx

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  3. lovely-
    as for the RAF thingy- Ma has to stop me from buying more 'Wings' I need stopping but it's hard!
    Tups x

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  4. Fab post. I tend to remember Gramps (ww1) at this time of year - but also WW2.

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