About Me

London, United Kingdom

Wednesday, 9 April 2008

Poem: Tail Gunner

copyright (c) 2008


During the second world war, RAF bomber crews did most of their work at night. For hours at a time, their world was a black painted tin box, suspended thousands of feet up in the sky. The freezing cold was so lethal they had to wear electrically heated suits. They were terrified of being hit by anti-aircraft fire or worse, the prowling night fighters. What was going through their minds?

Two A.M. in the big black bird

with a thundering gale force wind that I heard

and so wrapped up in fur was I,

so warm and cosy,

see me cry

for peace and calm, not fathomless sea

of purple sky and enemy.


Two A.M., now carry me home,

all safe and sound

I'll never once more roam,

for I've seen the future often-time

in blood-red song, and awkward rhyme

cannot repeat yet,

nor say to you

this vision of hell that I've flown through.



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