#John Gillespie Magee Jr.

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

N.C. Wyeth (1882 - 1945)

+

High Flight BY JOHN GILLESPIE MAGEE JR. 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 wind-swept heights with easy grace Where never lark nor ever 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.

[gwydionmisha]

High Flight - John Gillespie Magee Jr.

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 wind-swept heights with easy grace Where never lark nor ever 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.

[mjljmj]

Volare in alto

Oh! Come sono sfuggito agli aspri legami terrenie danzato in cielo su garrule ali d’argento;rivolto al sole ho provato la gioia di solcarenuvole violate dai raggi del sole e cento altre coseche tu non puoi nemmeno sognare…Correndo, librandomi in volo, ruotandoalto nel silenzio radioso, tracciando ghirlande,ho inseguito il vento urlante e lanciatole mie ali impazienti in gole sospese…

[missmargaretcarter]

High Flight by Pilot Officer John Gillespie Magee Jr.

[deadeyes-o0]

High Flight by John Gillespie Magee Jr.

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 wind-swept heights with easy grace

Where never lark nor ever 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.

[bad-wolf-circe]

east coast

[oneminutefiftysixseconds]

ANQUETIL, ALONE

Anquetil Alone by Paul Fournel // A group in the 1957 Tour de France passes through the Pyrenees, Jacques Anquetil in yellow. // Rouleur journal The case for Jacques Anquetil // A young Anquetil wins the 1953 GP Des Nations // High Flight by John Gillespie Magee Jr. // Anquetil climbs the Tourmalet during the 1957 Tour de France // Anquetil poses with his bike ahead of the 1959 Giro d'Italia // Anquetil racing in 1960 or 61 // Eurosport Re-Cycle the 1963 Vuelta // Individual time trial at the 1964 Tour de France // Richard Willams Review of 'Anquetil Alone' // Catullus 85 // L'Equipe playing card, 1960 // Commemorative stamp, 1969 // Tour de France 1961 magazine // Commemorative stamp, 1972 // Anquetil prepares his bike for a track event in London, 1964

[leftenantjopson]

Richard Siken, War of the Foxes//High Flight by John Gillespie Magee Jr//Fighter Pilot Icarus Prophesying with Apollo by @lunchboxpoems//An Iliad by Denis O'Hare and Lisa Peterson//The Last Convertible by Anton Meyer//The War Was in Color by Carbon Leaf

Screencaps from @itstheheebiejeebies

[loquaciousquark]

* With apologies to John Gillespie Magee Jr.'s "High Flight."

† Hectocotylus: a male octopus's specialized tentacle arm used in copulation. I feel confident this is the first time any iteration of this word has been used in a sonnet in the history of the universe.

‡ Rianna belongs to @probablylostrightnow and consumed the astral tadpole.

§ Prodigious thanks to @perahn for assistance with meter, form, and the word hectocotylus.

[incohorace]

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 heights 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.

High Flight by John Gillespie Magee Jr.

[flickeringflame216]

High Flight

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 wind-swept heights with easy grace Where never lark nor ever 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.

~John Gillespie Magee Jr.

[bignaz8]

High Flight

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 wind-swept heights 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.

-- John Gillespie Magee, Jr

📷 Four Peaks Wilderness, Arizona | me!

[usafphantom2]

11 December 1941. Death of RCAF Pilot Officer John Gillespie Magee, Jr., 1922-1941. Aviator & poet killed in his Spitfire V in mid-air collision with an Airspeed Oxford trainer over Lincolnshire. He is most famous for his poem "High Flight" a tribute to pilots of all generations.

@ron_eisele via X

[cheflew]

High Flight

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 flunt

My eager craft through footless halls of air.

Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue

I've topped the windswept heights with easy grace

Where never lark nor 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.

– John Gillespie Magee, Jr.

[russell-crowe]

undefined

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 wind-swept heights with easy grace Where never lark nor ever 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.

RUSSELL CROWE reciting 'High Flight' by John Gillespie Magee Jr. in For the Moment (1993)

[future-of-educationandlearning]

Interpreting "High Flight"

The poem you provided is a famous piece titled "High Flight" by John Gillespie Magee, Jr. It is a powerful and inspiring work that celebrates the exhilaration and freedom of flight, ultimately culminating in a profound spiritual experience.

Analysis

* Escape from Earthly Bonds: The opening lines express a liberation from the constraints of earthly life. The speaker has ascended beyond the physical world, into a realm of pure exhilaration.

* Joyful Soaring: Images of "laughter-silvered wings" and "tumbling mirth" convey the sheer joy and exuberance of flight. The speaker revels in the freedom and agility of their aerial maneuvers.

* Sublime Experience: The ascent continues, reaching heights where ordinary birds cannot fly. The language becomes increasingly elevated, suggesting a spiritual dimension to the experience.

* Divine Encounter: The final lines represent the pinnacle of the journey. The speaker has not only conquered the physical heights but also reached a spiritual summit. The act of "touching the face of God" signifies a profound connection with the divine, a moment of transcendence.

Themes

* Freedom and Liberation: The poem is a celebration of the human spirit's desire for freedom and escape from earthly limitations.

* Spiritual Experience: The ascent is not merely physical but also spiritual, culminating in a mystical encounter.

* Awe and Wonder: The poem evokes a sense of awe and wonder at the beauty and grandeur of the natural world.

Overall, "High Flight" is a timeless piece that captures the human longing for transcendence and the exhilaration of pushing boundaries. It has become a beloved poem, often recited at memorial services for pilots and astronauts, due to its powerful themes of courage, sacrifice, and the ultimate human experience.

Would you like to delve deeper into specific lines or images within the poem?