The Blakeburn Project - British Columbia’s Forgotten Ghost Town

High Flight

John Gillespie McGee, Jr.
No. 412 Squadron, RCAF

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, untrespassed
sanctity of space,
Put out my hand and
touched the face of God.