What propels a man to climb out, <br />At night, <br />At 200 mph, <br />And 20,000 ft <br />Along a the burning wing of a bomber <br />Over enemy territory <br />Amidst flak and fighter fire <br />Holding nothing but a small extinguisher, <br />With neither harness nor hope of return? <br /> <br />Only 905192 Sergeant Norman Cyril Jackson knows. <br /> <br /> <br />What makes a man <br />Spend a day and a night in Nomansland <br />Reportedly as close at 25 yards from enemy defences <br />Raining fire at all but point blank range, <br />Repeatedly to-ing and fro-ing <br />Carrying the wounded to safety <br />And a future they'd given up all hope of having <br />Whilst caring nothing for his own wounds? <br />For most mortals that would have been more than enough... <br /> <br />But then they weren't with Captain Noel Godfrey Chavasse later at Paaschendaele <br />To see him do it all over again. <br /> <br /> <br />From whence comes the courage <br />Of a child with Leukaemia <br />Knowing he will never see next week <br />Investing his last reserves of life in comforting the living? ............ <br /> <br />Perhaps even parents don't know. <br /> <br /> <br />What makes a man...? <br />....God alone knows.<br /><br />Tony Jolley<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/what-makes-a-man-3/
