Low Flight

This is Low Flight. A poem written by pilots
or flight crews unknown, of the F4 Phantom II.
during the Vietnam War. I love pilot humor, I
grew up with it. Dry wit, best served with a
tall cold one, or three.
This is not parody, it was not written to mock
High Flight. I don't believe any pilot would.
Of course, they would mock their own aircraft,
other aircraft, or the pilots of other aircraft.
Most Air Force songs [or poems] are written to
existing music. The original words often provide
inspiration for the new.
Why does the Phantom have a flat belly?

Low Flight

Oh, I have slipped through swirling clouds of dust,
a few feet from the dirt.
I've flown the F4 low enough,
to make my bottom hurt.
I've flown in the desert, hills and valleys,
mountains too.
Frolicked in the trees,
where only flying squirrels flew.

Chased the frightened cows along,
disturbed the ram and ewe,
and done a hundred other things,
that you'd not care to do.
I've smacked the tiny sparrow,
bluebird, robin, all the rest.
I've ingested baby eagles,
simply sucked them from their nest.

I've streaked through total darkness,
just the other guys and me,
and spent the night in terror of
things I could not see.
I turned my eyes to heaven,
as I sweated through the flight,
put out my hand and touched,
the Fire Warning Light.