Paratrooper's Gracious Descent—mother Earth Below

It was the day I wanted the most Yet dreaded as the worst, Seeing the jumpmaster’s eyes Way up there in the sky, Waiting for the scream “This is a paratroopers’ dream Stand in the door—lean and mean!” C130 paratrooper’s Jet, 1500 feet above earth M16 Weapon by my side, ready to hit the dirt Knees bent as a dog’s leg on the ledge Crackling nerves on screeching edge Cotton dried mouth like a Sahara’s wedge Soldier before me threw up his lunch Stomach flipping—fear gripping Paratrooper’s static lines scraping, moving Shinny brand new paratrooper’s boots Shivering to a shuffling groove Trembling to its new roots Cold palms slippery from sweating Camouflaged face twitching like electric shocking Eyes like a road map dredged with red Boots shuffling towards the elliptical edge Heard the jumpmaster’s words “Go, go, go—jump soldier!” I felt like a lonely hanging leaf Growing from the side of a cliff Just dangling in the breeze Like a trapeze with distance in between The moment of truth arrived Saw the green paratrooper’s light Heard the Jumpmaster’s voice—“Go!” Cannonball leap into the rushing breeze Wings of angels—still praying all the more One thousand…two…three…four… Parachute opened above—“Puff!” Then I knew from the Lord As I descended safely below I am still His beloved!