Winged Warrior
With his hand over his faded heartbeat
Tuskegee airman, Ohio’s son,
Takes off in a flight plan for eternal terminals
This living aviator legend –
Whose heart looked up to soar on metal wings -
Flew through skies torn by warring clouds
And kissed the earth when landing once again
Knew only well discrimination’s determination to clip his wings
This December child, forever linked in birth to a day of infamy
When battleships lay impotent at the bottom of a harbor’s pearl,
Logs his last flight plan -
A general with a single star to grace his epaulettes -
Salutes his heavenly commander in chief
To leave jet trails of victory across Heaven’s pure air of blue–
Wearing on his tribute stone a Distinguished Flying Cross –
A Bronze Star –
Flies through all barriers of race above the slurs
After launching younger dreams of flight in a life of service
As his last mission takes him home –
No mission impossible -
Past the jealous bonds of earth soaring into eternity,
Into the welcome caress of God who takes the controls
Who was and always will be his Heaven sent co-pilot.
Tribute to General Charles McGee – a Tuskegee Airman who never let discrimination clip the wings of his dreams to become a military pilot during WWII. He flew over 400 mission in WWII, Korea and Vietnam. Born December 7, 1919. Flew home January 16, 2022 at the age of 102.
Post Comments
Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.
Please
Login
to post a comment
Turn off ads, get more exposure for your poetry, and get more features with a
Premium Membership.
