Title: Pilot Song
Author: Tahi
Genre: Poem
A/N: The reference to the scene from Wedge's childhood is based on his biography in the Rogue Squadron comic series profile edition, and to a certain extent to the first scene in The Phantom Affair.

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[b]Pilot Song[/b]
(For Wedge)

It was one of those days that live forever:
the hills, lush and green, folding endless
into a distance as huge as the galaxy;
the air earthy, sweetening the palette
with the aroma of mountain grass
moist and cleansed by the morning dew.
And he, a boy, growing sturdy and strong
lavished, cherished by his native sun.

It was the simple joy of the moment:
the warm pelt of the thak beneath him,
the pitch and roll beat of hoof on turf
and he, swaying with the shared rhythm -
a song of union between boy and beast
and land borne buoyant on the wings
of dreams. And his spirits soaring,
and the adoring world falling at his feet.

He still hears the song sometimes, but
it's different now; no longer simple.
The melody is more haunting, layered
with semi-tones of loss and regret.
And the eyes that gazed guileless
into the cathedral dome of the sky
have discovered the abyss, and learned
the warrior's guise of worn indifference.

But the boy is not gone, not altogether.
He catches him sometimes beckoning
from behind the face in the mirror -
senses him creeping through the chinks
in his armoured heart to ride lordly
his dominion from hills to sky and beyond
to the glitter and sweep of stars . . .

where his spirit flies on wings of steel
and the galaxy rejoices at his feet.

~Tahi~
>

 

Oh my goodness. This is wonderful!!!!


"He catches him sometimes beckoning
from behind the face in the mirror -
senses him creeping through the chinks
in his armoured heart to ride lordly
his dominion from hills to sky and beyond
to the glitter and sweep of stars . . . "

Just beautiful. Bravo!

 

Tahi: That was beautiful!

I can see the basic shape, of course - the way you evoke the innocence of youth, and complicate it with experience, but still, subtly, retain the clear-eyed optimism...

It's very true, and - of course! - very Star Wars... suffice to say, I loved the poem, and I'll hopefully have more to say when I can sort it straight in my head...

Brilliant, though...

- The Imperial Ewok

 

Very fitting and wonderful.

And I thought all you could write was comedy.

Bad Brentus, bad!

 

Tahi:

that?s just awesome

like how Wedge sees as a glimps what boy he was once

- Mags

 

Very very good, Master. Excellent tone.

 

What an excellent expression of Wedge's character!

I love the echoes of his boyhood dreams in his adult life. Beautiful, just beautiful ... as always!

oldj

 

Unbelievable, Tahi That was so beautiful! *In awe* You use such vivid descriptions in here and the choice of words tickles the ear just right.

This was my favorite section:

He still hears the song sometimes, but
it's different now; no longer simple.
The melody is more haunting, layered
with semi-tones of loss and regret.
And the eyes that gazed guileless
into the cathedral dome of the sky
have discovered the abyss, and learned
the warrior's guise of worn indifference.

Lovely.

I also liked the way you relate it back to Wedge seeing his face in the mirror and finding glimpses of the boy he once was. I'll have to check out that comic now, I'm curious

Fantastic work as usual You're certainly a gifted poet, but we've all known that for a long time

 

Wow, this was amazing, Tahi. Wedge is so right here, and the flow and tone of the poem is just stunning. Wedge's joy in flight is tangible, even through the hardships he's endured as a soldier. You've embodied that so well here... I love it. Well done.

 

Thanks so much for the lovely feedback, everyone. I'll post proper replies as soon as I can.

 

Jade_Pilot
Thanks. Lovely to meet a new reader.

Just beautiful. Bravo!
[curtsies] My pleasure.

Thrawn
Yep - I always see Wedge as retaining his belief in innocence even when he sees nothing but loss all around him. And I think that there are times when he still just wants to glory in the thrill of flying because he still enjoys the essential purity of the experience.

Brentus
LOL There's comedy - and then there's comedy.

Maggy
Thanks. I'm very fond of Wedge.

Goddess
[waves] Great to see you - and thanks for the feedback on the tone.

ojn
Thanks for that. I'm glad it rang true as a reflection of Wedge's character. It's easy to get carried away and use the wrong image in a poem and ruin the effect.

Yoda
the choice of words tickles the ear just right
Hey - I like that phrase. That's just what I like to think of the poem doing.

The Dark Horse series of X-Wing Rogue Squadron comics were great IMO. I have most of them in graphic novel form. The Phantom Affair is number 2 in the series, and it has wonderful art work. There's a little section at the start that talks about how a child's view of the world is radically altered by experience - and it's the look of wonder in the child's (I've always read this as being Wedge) eyes that I was trying to capture in the poem.

Thanks for the lovely feedback.

K_A
Thanks for the feednack about the tangible feel. I'm glad that sense of Wedge's feelings about flying came through. It's also good to hear that Wedge comes over credibly in the poem. Thanks again.

 

I dabble in a bit of poetry writing so it's nice to see poetry here. I like the structure with the 8 line stanzas and the half rhyme holding it all together - a lot of what I'd call internal rhyme, too. And then the last stanza works like a finale in a musical piece - which is fitting as the poem is a "song". Fits Wedge like a pilot's glove.

 

Yay! Hi, Zara. Fancy meeting you here. LOL

Seriously thanks for the ?up? and the feedback of course. I see you?re finding your way around here. Told you it was a fun place.

(To my friends and readers ? Zarathustra is a co-worker who, I discovered, is a closet Star Wars fan. Give her a wave when you see her around.)

 

I've never seen the particular X-Wing comic that inspired this poem, Tahi, but thanks to your beautiful imagery ... I can picture the young Wedge, and then the memories fulfilled in the experiences of older Wedge. It's gorgeous.

(I'll have to share it with my sister tomorrow.)

 

Yay - good to see you Li. And thanks. Glad you liked the imagery as that's a feature I enjoy playing with.

Is your sister an X-wing pilot fan?

 

You're welcome! I love when your poems are built around physical imagery - everything seems so alive, and tangible.

She's a bigger X-Wing fan than me; she has all the novels minus one of the Stackpole ones, plus a few of the graphic novels. I also think she's one of the few people who have listened to all the Wraith Squadron novels on audio tape. Her one-mindedness towards that series puts me to shame.

(I found your email stuck in a folder again, so I'll shoot off a reply tomorrow. )

 

Ha ha - you have folders living lives of their own there. Like the Sorceror's Apprentice with his broomsticks.

Well I love playing with imagery as I said. It's so satisfying.

Ah - I love those X-wing graphic novels. The art is in some cases superb.

 

Hey thanks for the nominations guys. Much appreciated. Wedge says thanks, too. LOL

 

Thank you all so much for voting for this poem in the SFFA. It won Best Poem. Much appreciated, and a very nice start to the week.