In the 1960's my famiy lived in Tucson Arizona. One of the tv stations used to end their day with a particular poem, before the National Anthem. The last line was " and I could almost touch the face of God". My father called it an Air Force prayer. We were all talking about it the other day and none of us can remember any other lines. The poem was accompanied by a beautiful film of a jet soaring through the clouds. I loved that poem and often tried to stay awake long enough to get the title and author, but never made it. I know this is most likely a futile question, but does anyone know this poem and who wrote it? We would all really like to know. Thank you very much.

-- Pat English (TAZpatMANIA2@webtv.net), May 04, 1999

Answers

This was of course quoted by Ronald Reagan in his speech after the tragic Challenger space shuttle disaster. I was a superbly appropriate choice...

-- Prabal Ray (Prabal.Ray@uk.abnamro.com), May 06, 1999.

second time this week people ask about this poem - curious, isnt it ! it is a beautiful poem indead . High Flight by John Gillespie Magee Jr. - 1941

Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings; Sunward I've 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, I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung My eager craft through footless halls of air. Up, up the long delirious, burning blue I've topped the windswept height with easy grace, Where never lark, or even eagle flew. And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod The high untrespassed sanctity of space, Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

N.B. In December 1941, Pilot Officer Magee, a 19-year-old American serving with the Royal Canadian Air Force in England, was killed when his Spitfire collided with another airplane inside a cloud. Discovered among his personal effects was this sonnet, written on the back of a letter at the time he was at flying school at Farnborough, England.

-- ilza (ilza@pobox.com), May 05, 1999.