The Return

[Bill]

Twenty-one went out this morning
And the sun was in my eyes
As I watched them circle round
Before they vanished in the skie.

Twenty-one went out this morning
And the sunlight caught their wings
As they crossed the little thicket
Where a blackbird always sings.

Like birds into the morning
They flew I know not where
But small and secret in my heart
All day I've held a prayer.

Twenty one went out this morning
Riding splendid thru the sky
But still there is no sign of them
Though soon the day will die.

Then suddenly thru time and space
There's sunlight on a wing
And above the beating of my heart
I hear an engine sing.

The sun still goes on shining
But my world grows dark with fear
For twenty-one went out this morning
But only seventeen are here.

-Beryl Miles
______________________________________________

"All together, the Eighth Air Force lost 6,537 B-17s and B-24s. In addition, 3,337 fighters-our Little Friends-were destroyed"

Taken from "A Mighty Fortress" by Charles Alling.

Thank a vet, please.

 

[Shipoke]

AGREED ,Bill

 

[Richard]

That poem and others like it were selected from the book, 1,000 Quotable Poems: An Anthology of Modern Verse, Gramercy Books, New York, 2000.

I especially like how they were carefully selected to compliment each chapter in Alling's book. Makes a guy all teary eyed for those who where lost.