大象传媒

I'd never really seen the war, I'd heard and read the news,
Of men and armour, Tank and gun and experts airing views.
I've known the briefing, whispering knots,
the joke, the laugh O'er long drunk pots.
Tracks and courses, pencils and charts,
thoughts of home and aching hearts,
Everything gathered and out to the kite,
Everything tense, then into the night,
Circle the drome till time to go,
Turn on course, o'er the beacons glow,
Leaving the coast, everything ready,
Just a dream, she's flying steady,
A shadow there upon the sea,
We know the coast of Normandy,
Thoughts of the lads who fight below,
Flickering flashes and on we go,
Thoughts of the briefing, trains of Tanks,
a railhead target, soldiers thanks,
Fairy streams of dull flak,
the target's lit, we'll be back soon,
Bomb doors open, left and steady,
I lie in the "Office" tense and ready,
Streams of tracer flashing by,
"On the starboard side", I hear Bill cry,
The Brownings stutter, an engine aflame,
It can't be real, it's just a game.
"Bombs away", we turn for base,
the engine doused and on we race.
Port fin and rudder shot to hell,
petrol leaking, an ominous smell,
"The Jerry went down"
"We'll just make base",
"Leave in two days"
Thoughts of a face,
The starboard tanks spout jets of fire,
Riding to Hell on a funeral pyre.
The Skipper's voice, calm and steady,
"I'll hold her straight, out when you're ready!"
The fight with the hatch, it seems alive,
A rush of wind, a hasty dive,
Wispy cloud, reflecting flame,
It can't be real, it's just a game!
A tug at the ripcord, will it work?
Blossoming silk, a welcome jerk,
a glance at my watch, one fifteen,
The roar of the motors, heard but unseen,
The swing as I'm caught in a slipstreams blast.
The wing as I'm caught in a slipstreams blast,
Please God, don't let my collapse,
A thin red trail in the void below,
It's her last flight, and I watch her go,
A burst of flame as she hits the deck,
How many comrades lie in the wreck?
Suspended in space, why don't I fall,
The harness is cutting, the stomach is gall,
Dark shapes of woods, a stream, a field,
Blurred, indistinct, as through a lens revealed,
Sensation of falling, at last I feel,
Menacing woods, sickeningly real,
One tiny field, I side-slip fast,
Remember the practice, heave on the straps,
Terrific jolt, Dive on the chute,
Don't let it drag you, What was that hoot?
Listen for voices, where are the crew,
Sit down and think, Jerry's searching for you.

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