Long ago I flew hostile skies
prayed and dodged enemy fire
wiped sweat and fumes from my eyes
tried to climb higher and higher.

But today a neighbor heard about me
and invited me to fly in his acrobat plane
I didn’t take long to agree
Oh to be up there in the blue again!

To see Carolina’s wonders in early spring,
trees and fields - even in bumpy air
crops, trees, gardens - amazing things
bring reverence for glorious earth down there.

I’m grateful for this short resplendent flight
for this new aviator friend
for being in air - what a delight
not in war but in love with flying again.

03/06/2018

Author's Note: I wrote this little poem in response to a recent email I received from my friend (now in his nineties), Jim Brown who told me of a neighbor who had an acrobat plane and had found out that Jim too had been an aviator, inviting Jim to join him for some take-offs and landings. Jim was a night fighter pilot in World War II and then again in Korea. After "retiring" from the military he still flew in the Ready Reserve to ultimately become the commanding officer of a jet fighter squadron. I wrote this poem in his voice and, although reluctant to publish it, after seeing it he was pleased, saying it was "absolutely perfect" which I took as permission to post it here. It's certainly not a perfect poem, but it sure was fun writing it.

Posted on 03/06/2018
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