Flight

Oh! To possess the freedom of an eagle able to soar! 'Twas the plaint of ancients, their gods to implore! To cast aside the shackles binding man to his sphere, And wing skyward, to space, that final frontier! On a bleak December day on the sands of Kill Devil Hill, Two bicycle mechanics began man's dream to fulfill. Gliding just a few feet and only a few seconds in time. Oh! The marvels of flight wrought since that time sublime! Since flight's genesis on that desolate shore, Valiant knights to farther heights did ever soar. Gently kissed by towering clouds, filled with elation, Peering down upon the beauty of God's Creation! Since those first tentative footprints on earth's satellite, Farther into the mysterious universe, man has set his sight, To explore the eternal darkness of space beyond the stars, And one day tread upon that august planet call Mars! Many gallant souls have made the ultimate flight, Tenderly embraced in God's arms to ease their perilous plight. His steady hand steering them through the vast celestial dome, Guiding them on that final flight to His Eternal Home! Robert L. Hinshaw, CMSgt, USAF, Retired (© All Rights Reserved)