War Story Poem. Enjoy (Read 644 times)

Parable of the Flightline

And so it was in the 13th hour of the sun in the land if the burning concrete that the heavy-laden lay down their wrenches and lifted their voices in prayer towards the center cubicle from which all things began.

And as the benders of the wrenches assemble in prayer, there ariseth great clamor, weeping and lamentation; for they are heavy of eye, sore of feet, and weary of time. Their toils have been indeed great. Surely now the master will give them rest.

Then there is a great hush, for the hollowed portals of the center cubicle open and the master and his disciples come forth from their sanctuary and don their dark glasses and sun helmets; for, lo, the sun is painful even unto them.

And a disciple steps forward and speaketh unto them of the maximum effort on the morrow and calleth on the benders of the wrenches to give freely and cheerfully of their labour; for the maximum effort surpasseth all earthly things;

And another disciple cometh forth and speaketh in riddles of reports, and of analysis, and of manhours, and of the glories of the system.

Then there is a great hush, for the master himself cometh forth to speak and he sayeth unto them, “Return ye to your labours, and if the maximum be a great success, surely on the second Sunday of next week, ye shall have an hour of respite.”

And one of the braver of the benders of the wrenches ariseth and maketh great harangue and speaketh to the master, saying, “Surely thou hast not so soon forgotten the promise that on this night thou wouldn't give us rest?”

And the master was exceedingly wroth and speaketh in a thunderous voice and the benders of the wrenches weep and murmured, “Yea verily, we are of the accursed.”

And the master speaketh yet again, “HEAR YE my judgment, for ye are of the unfortunate, ye shall hence forth maintain twice as many aircraft, But we shall give you no cotter pins and ye shall forage through the land for new parts.

And I shall send my inspectors to work mischief among thy people and to harass and spy upon thee, And great will be the plagues that shall be visited upon thee, Yea verily, thou shall come to know the torments of the time card.”

And the benders of the wrenches rend their clothing and sit in ashes and plead for mercy, but the master is ever unforgiving.

Then the masters and his disciples turn away from their pleas and go thence unto the places under which rivers of beer flow, and abideth therein during the hours of darkness, And the benders of wrenches return to their task and revile the flapped-winged monster, and one sayeth, “Yea verily, Hell is our heritage and we must abide therein.”

Unknown Author