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Author Topic: The Date, The Time  (Read 6794 times)

Friend Weller

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The Date, The Time
« on: July 02, 2013, 09:17:46 AM »

I know it's not exact as I'm at 111 W Longitude and 41 North Latitude but I was just looking at the clock and the calendar and it caused me pause for reflection.....and a moment of silence seemed apropos.....

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 the sunlit 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, nor 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.

High Flight by John Gillespie Magee, Jr.
Friend
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Ric Gillespie

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  • "Do not try. Do or do not. There is no try" Yoda
Re: The Date, The Time
« Reply #1 on: July 02, 2013, 09:44:22 AM »

I'd like to think that I'm related to the poet.  I don't know that I am but I have certainly shared his love of the sky.  His own story is tragic. He died in 1941 at age 19 in a mid-air between his Spitfire and an Airspeed Oxford.  He reportedly succeeded in exiting the aircraft but too low for his parachute to open.
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Gloria Walker Burger

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Re: The Date, The Time
« Reply #2 on: July 02, 2013, 07:13:20 PM »

Godspeed, Amelia - 76 years gone from the skies this day.

July 2 and thinking of Amelia and Fred, wondering what all they were doing, thinking, hoping for, and feeling on this day 76 years ago.

Nice poem. I'd like to think you're related to the author, too, Ric.
Gloria
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Stacy Galloway

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Re: The Date, The Time
« Reply #3 on: July 02, 2013, 09:34:06 PM »

Very nice thread... I'd like to hope that on this first day, they were full of hope and optimism. Awaiting rescue, eating and drinking rations from the flight, dreaming of continuing their quest...

LTM who is still dreaming,
Stacy
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