Rosemary and S. V. Benet

All: Said Orville Wright to Wilbur Wright,

Solo 1: “These birds are very trying.

I’m sick of hearing them cheep-cheep

About the fun of flying.

A bird has feathers, it is true.

That much I freely grant.

But, must that stop us, W?”

All: Said Wilbur Wright,

Solo 1: “It shan’t.”

All: And so they built a glider, first,

And then they built another.

--There never were two brothers more

Devoted to each other.

Solo 3: They ran a dusty little shop

For bicycle-repairing,

And bought each other soda-pop

And praised each other’s daring.

All: They glided here, they glided there,

They sometimes skinned their noses,

Solo 4: --For learning how to rule the air

Was not a bed of roses—

But each would murmur, afterward,

While patching up his bro.

Solo 1: “Are we discouraged, W?”

Solo 2: “Of course we are not, O!”

Solo 5: And finally, at Kitty Hawk

In Nineteen-Three (let’s cheer it!)

The first real airplane really flew

With Orville there to steer it!

All: --And kingdoms may forget their kings

And dogs forget their bites,

But, not till Man forgets his wings,

Will men forget the Wrights.