THEY SAY THAT KNOWLEDGE DISPELS ALL FEAR,
BUT I'D LIKE TO MAKE IT VERY CLEAR.
ALTHOUGH THEY LAUGH AND JOKE AND SNEER,
BEHIND THOSE JOKES THERES ALSO FEAR.

YET NEITHER SKIRK NOR YET COMPLAIN,
THESE MEN KNOW OF HARDSHIP PAIN.
THEY'RE MEN WHO JUMP OUT OF THE SKIES,
WHO'S ONLY REWARD IS SHEAR SURPRISE.

THEIR LIVES DEPENDS ON SILK AND CORD,
FOR THAT IS ALL THEY CAN AFFORD.
AND DEATH IS NO STRANGER TO THESE MEN,
WHO'S ONLY REWARD IS TO JUMP AGAIN.

FOR NO ONE KNOWS THE MENTAL STRAIN,
THAT PASSES THROUGH THE STRANGEST BRAIN.
WHEN THE WORD GOES BACK "PREPARE FOR ACTION",
AND THEY ALL STAND BY WITHIN A FRACTION.

AS STRAPS FLY BACK FROM HAND TO HAND,
IN THIS ROUTINE THAT'S BEEN WELL PLANNED.
HIS HEART NOW POUNDS AT A FRANTIC RATE,
BUT HE MUSTN'T PAUSE OR HESITATE.

"CHECK EQUIPMENT" IS THE NEXT COMMAND,
AS FLASHING HANDS LIKE LIGHTNING LAND,
ON THE NEXT MANS CHUTE TO CHECK HIS TIES,
BEFORE THE DISPATCHER THE DOOR HE PRIES.

(foto's : album Wellens Karel)

NOW IN THEIR STICKS THEY GENTLY SHUFFLE,
EACH MAN BY NOW HIS VOICE WELL MUFFLED.
NOW, THE SLOW MARCH FORWARD GLIDE,
EACH MAN HIS FEAR HE TRIES TO HIDE.

EACH MAN HIS CONTAINER HE TIGHTLY GRASPED,
AS THOUGH LIFE WERE FOREVER PASSED.
CONFIDENCE SEEKING IN A GRASP OF STEEL,
AS THE AIRCRAFT COMES TO AN EVEN KEEL.

"RED ON" , STAND IN THE DOOR,
ALL THEY HEAR IS THE THUD ON THE FLOOR.
"GREEN ON" , AND NOW ITS GO,
AND INTO SPACE THEY MADLY FLOW.

IN THE SLIPSTREAM THEY NOW CAREER,
A MAD SENSATION FILLED WITH FEAR.
THEN IN A SECOND "WHOOSH" ITS THERE,
A BEAUTIFUL CANOPY FILLED WITH AIR.

THEY GO BENEATH THE HIDDEN MOON,
THE MEN WITH BERETS OF MAROON.
FOR THEM THERE IS NO TURNING BACK,
EVEN THOSE WHOSE CONFIDENCE LACK.

FOR THEM IT IS BUT TINY THREADS,
THAT HOLD THEIR LIVES ABOVE THEIR HEADS.
SO WHEN YOU HEAR THE ANGELS THUMP,
SAY A PRAYER FOR THE MEN WHO JUMP.

Auteur onbekend