High Flight by Gillespie Magee

There is zone of awareness and simply being alive in a state of joy that comes from being solo in a high performance aircraft that I think the following sonnet captures. To do aileron rolls, loops, split S's and other maneuvers in complete sync with the aircraft is an experience that takes a human being to a state that is probably as close to being with God that a mortal can achieve. The LORD knows I miss that feeling and look forward to the day when that feeling will be dwarfed by being in the presence of GOD.


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, or even eagle flew -
And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod
The high untresspassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand and touched the face of God.