N705PA

(First published in “Winged Words” March 1976; composed several years earlier, certainly prior to 1972, when the editor first heard it)
 
Come all ye adult citizens, and come along of me:
We’ll take a trip to Ringway, and we’ll see what we will see:
Jet Clipper “Wings of the Morning”, and she’s bound for Buffalo!
She’ll roll away the morning mist and GO, BOYS, GO
 
It’s 19[72], my dears, we’ll watch ’em setting sail
On that great Yankee Clipper-ship with PAN-AM on the tail:
Jet Clipper Wings of the Morning, and she’s bound for Buffalo!
They’ll haul away the gangway and she’ll GO, BOYS, GO!
 
A Pratt & Whitney Clipper-ship, despite her splendid name:
You think she’s not romantic? Watch the children all the same
Who’ve scarcely heard of Clipper-ships or even Buffalo,
All pedal up on bicycles to WATCH HER GO!
 
They’re down here by the Airport where the Boeing’s giving tongue,
For even in this day and age it’s pleasant to be young
And hear the Wings of the Morning clear away to Buffalo:
She’ll trundle on to “zero-six” and GO, BOYS, GO!
 
It’s just a Pan-Am. charter, but they know it as a rule,
So half the kids in Wythenshawe will all be late for school
To watch the Wings of the Morning rise away to Buffalo!
In innocence and wonder see her GO, BOYS, GO!

 
[Note dated 3.9.2010 by David Parker Brown on internet site http://www.airlinereporter.com/tag/boeing-707/page/2/:
Boeing 707-331 (N705PA) leased from Pan Am with Air Florida reddish-orange stripes scheme and “Alaska” in black helvetica letters on the tail and sides. The aircraft was flown during the summer of 1972 for Alaska. After being with Alaska N705PA went to Globe Air and then hit the road and traveled the world. Last record I can find of her is a photo in 1981 of her being stored in Kuala Lumpur.]

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