The earth rolls by beneath my wings,
My mind dwells not on other things,
For as my nose points towards the sky,
I can’t believe I’m going to fly.
The years of waiting over now,
My instructor says that I know how,
And as the spinning wheels break free,
I wish that he were here with me.
Higher, higher the ship is lifting,
Racing thoughts my mind is sifting.
What’s that he said on rate of climb?
I wish we’d done this one more time.
Five hundred feet. It’s time to turn,
There is still so much I have to learn.
Ease the yoke and now the rudder,
The trick is not to make her shudder.
Eight hundred feet, another turn,
This time there’s not as much concern,
Throttle back and trim her out,
Seems there’s less to care about.
Downwind check now, just in case,
Runway’s on the left, some place?
Carb heat on and lots of power,
Oh God I’ve got to call the Tower.
Victoria Tower! I call my name,
Why no answer? Is this a game?
Radio set, I know it’s right,
Settle down, no time for fright.
Crackle, crackle, I hear him talking,
Straight ahead, not time for gawking,
Cleared to land, it’s said and done,
Thank the Lord, I’m number one.
The heart inside me seems to race,
As I ease her onto base,
Power back, she starts to sink,
Easy does it, time to think.
Nose up trim, at seventy knots,
Six hundred feet is all I’ve got.
Turn for final, almost over,
On the blacktop, not the clover.
Hold her level ‘til the last,
My! The runway’s moving fast.
Hold the nose up, gee I’m clever,
Seems she wants to fly forever.
Thump! I’m down! It feels so good,
Nothing to it, I knew I could.
Take heart my friend and have a try,
For now I know that I can fly.
by Patrick J. Phillips
