A Poem by John R. Cooke

Helicopter Pilot - 1967 - served with the 68th AHC.
Author of the book Voltaire Six. 
please observe that John's poetry is covered by copyright and requires his permission to use as we have.

 

      Grease the Skids

    There’s a term

    That old helicopter pilots use,

    Grease the skids, they say,

    When they wish to land safely

    And move on without delay.

    Grease the skids—

    It means something like

    To ease, to assist,

    To advance, to expedite,

    To dispatch, not to agitate,

    Nor aggravate, or exasperate,

    But, yes, to facilitate.

    And so now

    I say to you,

    My darling,

    You have facilitated,

    For me, a smooth,

    Soft and safe landing.

    Thank you, sweetheart,

    For looking after

    Our rations, our passions,

    Our hooch, our pets, and our kids,

    And, above all, thanks

    For greasing my skids.

---by John R. Cooke
         “Mustang 23”

©Copyright    John R. Cooke