THE WARBIRDS NEST

WE ARRIVED HERE MANY YEARS AGO, BUT NOW I STAND ALONE

BENEATH THE MOUNTAIN’S SHADOW, IN THE HUNTER TOWN OF SCONE

TIGER MOTHS AND CHIPMUNKS, BUZZED AROUND THE TOWN

AND AFTER SERVING IN THE AIR FORCE, IT WAS TIME I SETTLD DOWN.

 

WHEN I RETURNED AGAIN, I HEARD A PLEASING STORY

A TREASURE TROVE OF VINTAGE PLANES, BROUGHT BACK TO FORMER GLORY

FLOWN IN THE NATION’S DARKEST DAYS LEGENDS OF THE AIR

NOW FOUND IN THE WARBIRDS NEST, RESTORED WITH LOVING CARE

 

A WARRIOR APPROACHES, I HEAR THE V-12’s GROWL

DISTINCTIVE CLOAK OF CAMOFLAGE, ANGRY ROO ON THE COWL

GLISTENING IN THE SUNSHINE, SHE BARELY SHOWS HER AGE

A FLICK ROLL DOWN THE RUNWAY, THE LADY IS ON STAGE

 

THE PING FROM SHUT DOWN PISTONS, A WHIFF OF OIL AND FUEL

SWITCHES OFF, CHOCKS IN PLACE, ENGINE LEFT TO COOL

I GAZE IN TOTAL WONDER AND WORDS OF PRAISE ARE SAID

SHE SITS THERE WITHOUT A CARE, LIKE A TRUE THOROUGHBRED

 

A PUSH BACK INTO THE HANGAR, TO JOIN HER WARTIME MATES

DOWN THROUGH MANY DECADES, SHE STILL HAS WHAT IT TAKES

HEROES HAVE LONG SINCE PASSED ON, BOBBY GIBBES AND COLIN PAY

LEAVING A PROUD LEGACY, WHICH STILL LIVES ON TODAY

 

THEIR PILOTS HAD TO SHOW THEIR SKILL, NO COMPUTERS OR CGI

FLYING SECOND NATURE, DEAD RECKONING AND TRUE OF EYE

AND AS THE HANGAR DOOR SLIDES SHUT, THEIR MEMORY HAS SURVIVED

I COUNTDOWN TO THE NEXT DISPLAY, WHEN PAST GLORY WILL BE REVIVED

 

By Tomas ‘Paddy’ Hamilton
23 June 2020

 

FILE PHOTO: A collection of rare old warbirds at the Wings Over Illawarra air Show 2021. Photo by Brian Hartigan.

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