This vivid phrase captures an underlying realism about the stakes involved in certain dangerous endeavors. The imagery of "pushing up grass in the Tinnicum Swamps" is a metaphor for death, evoking the notion of being buried or laid to rest outdoors in a remote, perhaps unceremonious setting. It reflects a candid acknowledgment of the ultimate risk one may confront if a situation goes awry—possibly martyrdom or a fatal accident. The swamps by the airport add specificity to the image, grounding it in a tangible location and connoting a sense of isolation or forgotten spaces.

Within the context of W.E.B. Griffin's narrative style, often centered on military or espionage themes, this quote likely illustrates a moment where a character internally weighs the dangerous consequences of a mission or action. It conveys a tone of blunt fatalism and a stoic acceptance of the possibility of death. What's compelling is the casual, almost offhand way it states the risk, suggesting that such peril is not unusual for those involved. This nonchalant attitude towards extraordinary risk highlights the desensitization often experienced by individuals in high-stakes professions.

The phrase urges reflection on how people process and verbalize thoughts about mortality in situations fraught with risk. It connects to broader themes like courage, fatalism, and the nebulous line between survival and demise in challenging circumstances. Its raw, unvarnished imagery grounds abstract fears into a tangible, natural metaphor, making the concept accessible and viscerally felt by readers.