The man-bird harnessed on his wings,
Empowered the impatient heart
And mounted into space as springs
Some captive eagle when released
From durance; but though human art
Might imitate, its genius ceased
Too short to force one secret of
The wild, fierce mastery of flight
In spiral sweeps away, above
The dizziest pinnacle of sight.
Man could but follow as he dared
With plane and engine, chance and nerve,
Yet like a Jove who boldly fared
Across the firmament supreme;
O’er vortexes with plunge and swerve,
O’er air-abysses where the scream
Of harpies echoed mocking forth
On ears too tense—yet ever on
O’er blinding South and blasting North,
Triumphant up or headlong down!
Ten thousand feet on high, ye gods,
Man tries conclusions for your realm
And gambles life at daring odds
To ride above the storm-strewn fleece;
A modern Jason at the helm
By siren lured like him of Greece
To desperate hazard; yet to fail
One pulse-beat for a thrilling glance—
Ah, well the boldest might turn pale
And choose ’twixt glory and mischance!
A moment poised the avian,
Then earthward swooped as never Jove
Rode down the vault of superman.
Wind-surges roared and clouds fled by,
Death raced beside and demons strove
To wrench one slender part or ply;
But flawless-sinewed, man and steed
Came flashing, wheeling down and down
With thrice a Roman courser’s speed
To earth and conqueror’s renown.