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Poetry of Direct Personal Experience
Our Collection of Aviation and Military Poetry

The Airman
P/O. George Eades 1942

If I should die, don’t think of me at all

Unless,world-weary,you prefer like me

To waste your life against life’s ocean-wall

And spend your freedom crying to be free.

Think then, this May, how building whitethroats call

In England’s woods, and how from every tree

Blanched blossom dangles, and young girls are all

In love, and green corn slants above the sea

I never asked for life, nor thanked who gave

Me unconsulted to the angry years

In sacrifice. My soul, not framed a slave,

Climbed to the clouds and with those other brave

Welcomed the bullets that belied our fears,

The last long dive to death, and this, our grave.

Pilot, P/O. George Eades, 431 Squadron, Wellington X HE503 SE-S. Crashed, with the loss of all the crew 26/27th March 1943. Submitted to Aircrew Remembered by his relatives, in July 2012. Note: This poem, along with many others, was published in 1942 in a book titled ‘Thy Muse Hath Wings’.

His relatives have now lovingly reprinted this wonderful collection, and have made it available from Amazon. 

They request their permission be sought before reproducing any of George Eades’ poems on our site. Please contact us via our Help button and we will forward your request.


George Eades

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 • Last Modified: 26 May 2014, 08:05