OT:WW2 Fighter Pilot sonnet

[YAKMAN1968]

High Flight.

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth

and danced the skies on laughter silvered wings;

Sunwards 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. 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 wind swept height with easy grace

where never lark, not 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.



This sonnet, was written during the Battle of Britain, by a young Spitfire pilot, John Gillespie Magge Jnr. and assisted, by his friend Flt.Lt. Paterson Clarence Hughes of Cooma.

Both men were killed during the Battle of Britain,
Magge was 19 and Hughes was 22.


This was sent to my father by and old RAF pilot(Monty) he knows in the retirement village they live in. Monty was a Mossie & Beaufighter pilot.

[YAKMAN1968]

High Flight.

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth

and danced the skies on laughter silvered wings;

Sunwards 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. 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 wind swept height with easy grace

where never lark, not 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.



This sonnet, was written during the Battle of Britain, by a young Spitfire pilot, John Gillespie Magge Jnr. and assisted, by his friend Flt.Lt. Paterson Clarence Hughes of Cooma.

Both men were killed during the Battle of Britain,
Magge was 19 and Hughes was 22.


This was sent to my father by and old RAF pilot(Monty) he knows in the retirement village they live in. Monty was a Mossie & Beaufighter pilot.

[general_kalle]

on my squads website we have an interesting version.

oh i have slipped the surly bounds of earth
and punched the face of god

[dugong]

Ronald Reagan used the "...surly bonds of earth . . " quote when speaking about the space shuttle explosion. I thought I had heard that before.

Moving prose, that is for sure.