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Portraits of Dee
Updated December 9, 1998
| LinkExchange Member | Free Home Pages at GeoCities |
Updated December 9, 1998
In my high school days, I found this poem. Whenever I recall it, it always makes me feel both tingley and good. This was written by John Gillespie Magee, Jr. who was a young American who joined the Royal Canadian Air Force (the United States had not yet entered combat in World War II), and was a Spitfire pilot during the Battle of Britain. He died shortly after writing this poem, but we are fortunate that he had sent copies to his family before his death.
By John Gillespie Magee, Jr.
Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth,
And danced the clouds 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 into the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,
I've chased the shouting winds along, and flung
My eager craft through the 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.
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