Lizzy
When Lewis' first model plane
took off like a dream on the first try,
is that when you knew
he'd be a pilot someday?
How he loved to tell that story.
Now, whenever a plane goes buzzing through,
I look up and imagine him there,
beyond "the surly bonds of Earth,"
"Up, up the long delirious burning blue..."
©Mary Lee Hahn, 2016
(with a hat tip to John Magee's "High Flight")
If you're new to my National Poetry Month project, you can go back to April 1, 2016 and read forward to catch the story line. Or you can go here and click on the link(s) under the pictures.
Michelle has the Poetry Friday Roundup this week at Today's Little Ditty.
Absolutely beautiful.
ReplyDeleteYour poemoir has wings like Lewis' plane, Mary Lee. What a fabulous month your are having!
ReplyDeleteVery nice, Mary Lee– I clicked through to John Magee's poem and love that one as well! But really, who has a photo like this in their family history? Seriously.
ReplyDeleteIt's actually my dad's model, he did go into become a pilot, and the Magee poem was one of his favorites!
DeleteYou're made the line from Magee part of your own family history, Mary Lee. Lovely poem.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful interweaving!
ReplyDeleteCan't believe all the extraordinary photos. It's exciting how you're channeling the past in your poems. Each of them has this feel of "discovery" in it.
ReplyDeleteI am so drawn to all of these photos and the poems you create to tell their story. I love .. took off like a dream on the first try.
ReplyDeleteClare
I must come back and catch up! Such a fabulous project, and a wonderful poem today... and love learning that your dad became a pilot and loved the Magee poem.
ReplyDeleteAnother winner. What are your plans for this collection? J
ReplyDeleteThank you! Your literary allusion definitely has given me Sunday morning goosebumps! Recently, I had heard an interview with the speechwriter (Peggy Noonan) who included into President Reagan's speech to the Nation following the Challenger disaster the lines you quoted. Not positive, I've just checked, and yes! those were the lines he quoted. Seems that (unbeknownst to Noonan) the poet (whose name I never knew, as well as those particular lines, were among Reagan's favorites. How Providential that you must know/favor them, too! http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/ronaldreaganchallenger.htm
ReplyDeleteYour family photography project is an amazing far-reaching gift! God bless you. Thank you!
I have been so enjoying your Poetry Month series, Mary Lee (though I haven't commented on each one - sorry!). Each photo/poem is a luscious peek into the past. Thank you!
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