He had no wings

He had no wings

No feathers

To line his nest

Every trial flight

Was a testing time

For the pilot

Was a novice

With nothing but

Holes in his pockets

Air in his thermals

Landings were bumpy

Clandestine affairs

With last ditch outcomes

Explosive encounters

Barely extinguished

Before a fly past

Was requested

By loyal command

There was never

A shortage of enthusiasm

Air miles alone

Do not train

For all eventualities

Learning to survive

In an emergency

Brought most reward

Staying grounded

Was not an option.

A fledgling

In search of wings

Made from feathers

Tucked inside a hatband

Found the means to fly

Was to believe

He was a dreamer

Lost in thought

Drifting unhindered

Without presumption

As time went by

He stopped trying

Until one fine day

He opened his eyes

To realise

He had torn a hole

In the sky.