…so that others might live.

I found this today and am hoping this is a good place to put it. The poem probably represents the feelings and longings of many who served on the sea. Those days are long gone for me; I’ve been retired longer than I served, but still remember the ‘good old days’ and some which weren’t so good. Blessing to my fellow Sailors and to all veterans of all services. ” Old Sailors Poem ” OLD SAILORS SIT AND CHEW THE FAT IN POORLY LITE BARS SITTING IN THE BACK THE LIVES THEY LIVED AS THOSE DAYS DON’T LAST AND ALL THE GOOD TIMES REMEMBERED FROM THE PAST WITH THOUGHTS OF BELL BOTTOM BLUES AND THOSE LITTLE WHITE HATS AS THEY SINGLE UP LINES BOTH FORE AND AFT THEY RECALL LONG WATCHES LATE AT NIGHT WHILE THE STARS AND MOON WHICH SHINED DOWN SO BRIGHT FAR OUT AT SEA, IN THAT SUMMER BREEZE THE THOUGHTS THEY HAD WHEN THEIR LIVES WERE FREE THEY KNEW SO WELL THEIR HEARTS WOULD SWELL WHEN OLD GLORY FLUTTERED HARD DURING THAT STORMY GALE HOW THE SALT SPRAY WOULD STING WHILE THE LOOKOUT DID STAY, ON THE STARBORAD BRIDGEWING BOTH NIGHT AND DAY THEY TALKED OF THE CHOW THE NIGHT BAKER WOULD MAKE FOR GUYS ON MID WATCH NOT GIVEN A BREAK AND THE SHRILL OF THE BOS UN’S PIPE, THROUGHOUT THE LONG DAY CALLING FOR THE MUSTER AND MEALS AND THE END OF A DAY THEY REMEMBER THEIR SHIPMATES WITH THE STORIES THEY TOLD OF SAILORS THAT WERE CRAZY OR BOLD, AND THE FRIENDSHIPS THAT WOULD HOLD, THEY SPEAK OF THE NIGHTS ON A FOREIGN SHORE. IN PIG ALLEY AND THE GUT PLACES THEY REFUSED TO IGNORE OF THE BEER AND WHISKEY THE WOMAN THEY’VE SEEN TELLING JOKES AND SEA STORIES LATE AT NIGHT WHEN AT SEA THEIR SAILING DAYS ARE GONE WHILE THEY SIT AND THINK BACK NEVER AGAIN WILL THEY CROSS, THAT BROW OR QUARTERDECK BUT THEY HAVE NO REGRETS, BECAUSE IT ISN’T QUITE OVER AS SUNLIGHT FADES IN EARLY OCTOBER AS THEIR NUMBERS GROW LESS WITH EACH PASSING DAY AS THE FINAL… Read more »