Silver Wings

We proudly wore the silver wings,

Pinned over our left breast.

We knew that we had earned them

And it had been no easy test.

For those few weeks we had to run

Everywhere we went

Then we did the pushups

Until completely spent.

We were made to hang in a harness,

When done wrong brought pain below.

Then we jumped from the towers

Both the high ones and the low.

Finally came the day of reckoning,

We lined up and boarded a plane.

Our stomachs all were churning,

Some from fear that was close to pain.

Stand up, Hook up, Equipment check, Sound off

The man in the door shouts the commands.

We stand anxiously watching the signal light,

While holding static lines with sweaty hands.

The signal flashes from red to green,

And the jumpmaster shouts to GO.

We all begin to shuffle forward,

Twenty scared troopers in a row.

The door keeps getting closer,

Men in front begin to disappear.

Some of us are praying

We will not freeze from fear.

Near the door we make a sharp right turn

And quickly step out into space.

Tuck your chin, clutch your chest

And slowly count to four.

There comes a tremendous upward thrust,

And then we gently swing.

All anxiety gone, there’s a swell of pride,

We’ve earned our Silver Wings.