[red-beard]

Slightly modified - John Gillespie Magee, Jr.

High Flight!

Oh! He slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward 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,
He chased the shouting wind along, and flung
His eager craft through footless halls of air....

Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
He topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace.
Where never lark, or even eagle flew —
And, while with silent, lifting mind he trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
– Put out his hand, and touched the face of God.

God speed, John Glenn