Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth

And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings

Of sun-split clouds ---and done a hundred things

I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung

You have not dreamed of---wheeled and soared  and swung

Bomber Command R.C.A.F.  F/LT  Sean Dunn

The high untrespassed  sanctity of space ,

John Gillespie Magee was a young American who came to Canada in 1940 to join the RCAF. He enlisted on the same day as Sean and their service numbers are only two numbers apart.

John Gillespie Magee Jr. and the poem  High Flight

  Magee's poem may have struck a cord among airmen . It is the official poem of the RCAF  and RAF, a copy can be seen on the wall just about any place that pilots gather in the English speaking world , parts of it can be found on many airmens' tombstone. The poem is also an astronaut  favorite and at least one copy has been taken into space . It is found in almost all aviation museums and must be recited from memory by U.S.A.F. Academy  cadets.

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth

My eager craft through footless  halls of air

High in the sunlit silence , Hovr'ing there

And,while with silent lifting mind I've trod

High Flight

Pilot Officer John Gillespie Magee  was killed in a mid-air collision over England while flying his Spitfire . He was 19.

Put out my hand and touched the face of God.

Where never lark or even eagle flew-----

He became a Spitfire pilot  with RCAF  Squadron 412 and saw some combat .

I've topped the wind swept heights with easy grace

Up, up the long  ,delirious , burning blue