Looking for a poem like "High Flight"
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Looking for a poem like "High Flight"
Hello fellow rotorheads,
Whilst at Ft Rucker a number of years ago, I bought a poster with a humourous send up of McGee's famous poem "High Flight".
(You know: 'I have slipped the surly bonds of earth...')
It centered around a helicopter pilot's version of the same sentiments and finishes with the line;
'... reached out my hand and touched a tree.'
Can anyone tell me where I can find it again?
Cheers
CB
Whilst at Ft Rucker a number of years ago, I bought a poster with a humourous send up of McGee's famous poem "High Flight".
(You know: 'I have slipped the surly bonds of earth...')
It centered around a helicopter pilot's version of the same sentiments and finishes with the line;
'... reached out my hand and touched a tree.'
Can anyone tell me where I can find it again?
Cheers
CB
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Is this the kiddie?
Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth
And hovered out of ground effect on semi-rigid blades;
Earthward I've auto'ed and met the rising brush of
Non-paved terrain;
And done a thousand things you would never care to
Skidded and drooped and flared
Low in the heat soaked roar.
Confined there, I've chased the earthbound traffic
And lost the race to insignificant Headwinds;
Forward and up a little in ground effect
I've topped a mountain ridge with drooping turns
Where never jets, or even propplanes flew.
Shaking and pulling collective, I've lumbered
The low untresspassed halls of victor airways,
Put out my hand and touched, a tree
Cheers
Whirls
And just in case there are a few out there who don't know the original by Pilot Officer John Magee
"High Flight"
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 wind-swept 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.
Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth
And hovered out of ground effect on semi-rigid blades;
Earthward I've auto'ed and met the rising brush of
Non-paved terrain;
And done a thousand things you would never care to
Skidded and drooped and flared
Low in the heat soaked roar.
Confined there, I've chased the earthbound traffic
And lost the race to insignificant Headwinds;
Forward and up a little in ground effect
I've topped a mountain ridge with drooping turns
Where never jets, or even propplanes flew.
Shaking and pulling collective, I've lumbered
The low untresspassed halls of victor airways,
Put out my hand and touched, a tree
Cheers
Whirls
And just in case there are a few out there who don't know the original by Pilot Officer John Magee
"High Flight"
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 wind-swept 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.
Last edited by Whirlygig; 30th Jul 2005 at 21:01.
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"Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth
And hovered out of ground effect on semi-rigid blades;
Earthward I've auto'ed and met the rising brush of
Non-paved terrain;
And done a thousand things you would never care to
Skidded and drooped and flared
Low in the heat soaked roar.
Confined there, I've chased the earthbound traffic
And lost the race to insignificant Headwinds;
Forward and up a little in ground effect
I've topped a mountain ridge with drooping turns
Where never jets, or even propplanes flew.
Shaking and pulling collective, I've lumbered
The low untresspassed halls of victor airways,
Put out my hand and touched, a tree"
That's why I'm grounded by the CAD!
And hovered out of ground effect on semi-rigid blades;
Earthward I've auto'ed and met the rising brush of
Non-paved terrain;
And done a thousand things you would never care to
Skidded and drooped and flared
Low in the heat soaked roar.
Confined there, I've chased the earthbound traffic
And lost the race to insignificant Headwinds;
Forward and up a little in ground effect
I've topped a mountain ridge with drooping turns
Where never jets, or even propplanes flew.
Shaking and pulling collective, I've lumbered
The low untresspassed halls of victor airways,
Put out my hand and touched, a tree"
That's why I'm grounded by the CAD!
