TheBanyanTree: A moment of silence

[John Bailey]

Sunday March 23, 2003

A THANKFUL SILENCE

At intervals over the past few sunny days I've looked up into clear skies 
to see, far overhead, B-52 bombers glittering like deadly, jewelled bees 
ahead of the long streams of vapour they drag all the way to Iraq. The 
probability is that they fly from a military base near Gloucester and. some 
five or six hours later, arrive high over Baghdad to deliver their payload 
before returning.

Early this morning, taking the air in the back garden, I once more watched 
the warbirds flying. There is no sound from them; I suspect they seek high 
altitude soon after landing, and it could be they are climbing still as 
they pass through my field of view.

Far, far below them, at a height which, while still out of my reach is 
rather more within my imaginings, a lark sang. He'll continue to sing most 
of the day as the sky fills with the haze of the sun. As the evening light 
fails he will sink slowly into a thankful silence and settle for the night 
in some safe nesting place.

No matter how I may feel about the war, I can't help but hope the crews of 
those B-52s will find as safe a resting place at the end of their long 
flights and wish them a small moment of peace before they sleep, sharing in 
that thankful silence.


--
John Bailey   Carmarthenshire, Wales
journal of a writing man
<http://www.oldgreypoet.com>