| Author | Date Entered/Modified | Views |
| Daniel A. Stafford | 6/20/2000 5:27:50 AM 9/6/2020 10:32:48 AM | 771 |
Supersonic
Heat, walking down the tarmac strip.
Helmet, hard in my hands.
Sunlight, glares off cockpit windshields.
Flight suit, tight, hot, green.
I'm shaking but proud, it's what I do.
Ladder, climb up and mount my steed.
Instruments, eyes of my iron dragon eagle.
Crew chief, signs me thumbs up, let's roll.
Flight line, rolls by bandaged with rubber marks, white lines.
I'm closing myself into a new world that moves.
Runway, up ahead, waiting for my turn.
Throttle, an open invitation to speed.
Joystick, reins on the dragon, signals for his teeth.
Navcomm, spouting magic commands of release permissions.
I've lined up to take my part in the stand.
Orders, barked from a tinny speaker pushing me off.
Engines, tongues of flame and roaring whine of the iron beast.
G-force, buries me in the seat, pinned to the dragon's saddle.
Blue sky, open wide, my soon to be domain.
Leaping upward, I join the fray.
Clouds, racing by in moments.
Ground, so small and yet so large below.
Wingman, without him I'd dare not go.
Beauty, for a few moments shows.
Incredibly sunny above the clouds.
Miles, eaten by the thirsty beast.
Enemy, radar says two at least.
Fear, iron in my gut, heart racing.
Adrenaline, pushing me on high.
Moments fly by like lightning up here.
Fire, show teeth of the dragon, fangs bared in defense of my world.
Alarm, howling in my ear, time to drop and dodge.
Reflexes, never fast enough, racing to gain height.
Afterburners, get me clean away, safety so far.
My dragon races for our lives, and those we defend.
Going supersonic, praying to fly home.
AquarianM
By: Daniel A. Stafford
(C) 06/20/2000
Author's Comments
Placing myself in a seat I never sat, imagined most of my life, can understand somehow instinctively. I used to dream of flying fighter jets when I was little. I didn't get to. I learned later what that really meant.
| Author | Date Entered/Modified | Views |
| Daniel A. Stafford | 6/20/2000 5:27:50 AM 9/6/2020 10:32:48 AM | 771 |
| Author | Web | |
| Daniel A. Stafford | aqmstaffo@mailbag.com | www.mailbag.com/users/aqmstaffo/index.html |