He told us he could walk on clouds

sink and stride knee deep in softness

feet firm on the safety of silver lining

lie back and let them take his weight

sunside up

lie back and enjoy the view

through shifting portals

to the distant secrets of the ground

lie back wandering on winds

surviving the thin air.

Moisture leaks, condenses

coils into pools

to drip and slip, seep

and grow into a cascade

pulled down by the planet

collapsing to the ground in

the malignant mutter of thunder

time to go in flight

on slight Tiger Moth wings

to stand on the soaked shadowed

ground of the ordinary.

Written by Yvonne Mitton inspired by her father Arthur Mitton who served in the Royal Air Force.

We hope to receive further information from Yvonne in order to place an obituary page to her father.

Born on the 11th May 1923 - passed away 06th December 2016, age 93. Please note that Yvonne holds the copyright of this poem. Arthur Mitton trained at Terrell in Canada. The BFTS Museum kindly sent Aircrew Remembered copies of his photograph in May 2017.