Analysis- History of the airplane

History Of the Airplane

MICHELLE.L

And the Wright brothers said they thought they had invented
something that could make peace on earth
(if the wrong brothers didn’t get hold of it)
when their wonderful flying machine took off at Kitty Hawk
into the kingdom of birds but the parliament of birds was freaked out
by this man-made bird and fled to heaven

And then the famous Spirit of Saint Louis took off eastward and
flew across the Big Pond with Lindy at the controls in his leather
helmet and goggles hoping to sight the doves of peace but he did not
Even though he circled Versailles

And then the famous Yankee Clipper took off in the opposite
direction and flew across the terrific Pacific but the pacific doves
were frighted by this strange amphibious bird and hid in the orient sky

And then the famous Flying Fortress took off bristling with guns
and testosterone to make the world safe for peace and capitalism
but the birds of peace were nowhere to be found before or after Hiroshima

And so then clever men built bigger and faster flying machines and
these great man-made birds with jet plumage flew higher than any
real birds and seemed about to fly into the sun and melt their wings
and like Icarus crash to earth

And the Wright brothers were long forgotten in the high-flying
bombers that now began to visit their blessings on various Third
Worlds all the while claiming they were searching for doves of
peace

And they kept flying and flying until they flew right into the 21st
century and then one fine day a Third World struck back and
stormed the great planes and flew them straight into the beating
heart of Skyscraper America where there were no aviaries and no
parliaments of doves and in a blinding flash America became a part
of the scorched earth of the world

And a wind of ashes blows across the land
And for one long moment in eternity
There is chaos and despair

And buried loves and voices
Cries and whispers
Fill the air
Everywhere

The poem 'the history of the airplane' is Laurence Felinghetti's response to 9/11 . The the poem talks about the Wright brothers and how they made the first successful airplane that started it all. The poem explains the evolution of the airplane. Airplanes were getting bigger, faster and began carrying guns and bombs. The poem talks about the Wright brothers wanting they're invention to bring peace to this earth but that things took a turn for the worst and lead the world to war and destruction.

The poem begins with the Wright brothers and they're first successful airplane. From the day the plane rose up above the clouds and into the heavens the Wright brothers wanted they're new invention to protect and bring peace to the world. 1905-1907 ''And the Wright brothers said they thought they had invented something that could make peace on earth''20 years later the "spirit" a custom built monoplane. Flown solo by charles Lindbergh on may 20-21 1927 the Spirit was built by Ryan Airlines. Lindbergh won the 25, 000$ orteig prize in new york.

Then comes the famous yankee clipper taking off in the opposite direction. Produced by Boeing airplane company between 1938 - 1941 being the largest aircraft of the time. 9 were transferred to US military forces and 3 were sold to british military forces. By this time people knew they had the technology to protect themselves and fight the enemy but the yankee clipper was not enough they had to go bigger and faster. 1930 Boeing airplane company engineered a four engine heavy bomber aircraft specially made for the military. Boeing was in a contract to build 200 bombers." And then the famous Flying Fortress took off bristling with guns and testosterone to make the world safe for peace and capitalism but the birds of peace were nowhere to be found before or after Hiroshima."

"And so then clever men built bigger and faster flying machines and these great man-made birds with jet plumage flew higher than any real birds" Jets. Flying faster higher. Carrying heavy weaponry. Fighter Planes were Invented in 1914 during the first world war. Fighter Planes are armed planes intended primarily for air-to-air combat against other fighting jets specially made to fight wars.

"And the Wright brothers were long forgotten in the high-flying bombers that now began to visit their blessings on various Third Worlds all the while claiming they were searching for doves of peace" The wright brothers, the inventors of the first ever airplane completely forgotten in all of this war and destruction. They hoped that their invention would bring peace and prosperity to the world. Hoping to find peace but it was never found. "And they kept flying and flying until they flew right into the 21st century and then one fine day a Third World struck back and stormed the great planes and flew them straight into the beating heart of Skyscraper America" 9/11 the disastrous attack on the twin towers, state of new york killing the lives of many people in they're own nation which inspired Lawrence Felinghetti to write this poem.

The poem 'The history of the airplane' has a serious mood and a certain sadness to it. The poem talks about the Wright brother's inventing a machine that can rise up into the sky and up into the heavens but then explains the tragic outcome of they're invention. The destruction and chaos that came with that invention. "And they kept flying and flying until they flew right into the 21st century and then one fine day a Third World struck back and stormed the great planes and flew them straight into the beating heart of Skyscraper America'' (paragraph 7) The disaster that killed the lives of many people in there own nation the reason Lawrence Felinghetti wrote this poem.