The Barefoot Bandit

Daring the odds to fly.

Colton Harris Moore grew up in an underprivileged home, subjected to neglect and abuse. When he was 7 years old, he ran away from home and lived in the forest, breaking into vacation homes for blankets, water, and food. He learned how to fly small aircraft by reading aircraft manuals, handbooks, and watching a DVD on “How to fly a small airplane”. He was 17 years old when he stole his first aircraft. He stole five small airplanes during his two-year career as a fugitive, crashing three of them.

Photo by Jack Charles on Unsplash

The Barefoot Bandit

Bare feet and cunning
Relying on his wits and courage
He took a chance on himself
Daring to be what he knew was possible

Defying rules and reality
To fulfill his dreams
To fly, the ultimate freedom
Unrestrained by his roots

A bandit, a criminal
Stealing what he needed
To survive and prepare himself
For the blue yonder calling

Every thought and action
Trained on one goal
Single-mindedly pursuing
Against all odds

Living as a vagrant
A daring vagabond
Escaping the law 
Flying free from restraints

His dream became reality
With resolve that never wavered
Throwing caution to the wind
The barefoot bandit took to the skies