Crossing the Bar

Poetry of any form relating to the Navy
Karen
Posts: 31
Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2018 9:11 pm
Location: Cambridge

Crossing the Bar

Unread post by Karen »

Sunset and evening star,
And one clear call from me!
And may there be no more moaning of the bar,
When I put out to sea,
But such a tideas moving seems asleep,
Too full for sound and foam,
When that which drew from out the boundless deep turns again home.

Twilight and evening bell,
And after that the dark,
And may there be no sadness of farewell, when I embark;
For tho’ from out our bourne of time and place,
The flood may bear me far,
I hope to see my pilot face to face,
When I have crossed the bar.
There’s Nothing A British Boy Cannot Do
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Pelican
Posts: 9730
Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2018 10:10 pm

Re: Crossing the Bar

Unread post by Pelican »

A Sailors Poem

He was getting old and paunchy and his hair was falling fast,
And he sat around the RNA, telling stories of the past
Of wars that he had fought in and the deeds that he had done,
In his exploits with his buddies; they were heroes, every one.

And though sometimes, to his neighbours, his tales became a joke,
All his naval buddies listened, for they knew whereof he spoke.
But we’ll hear his tales no longer for old Jack has passed away,
And the world’s a little poorer, for a sailor died today.

He will not be mourned by many, just his children and his wife,
For he lived a very ordinary and quite uneventful life.
Held a job and raised a family, quietly going his own way,
And the world won’t note his passing, though a sailor died today.

When politicians leave this earth, their bodies lie in state,
While thousands note their passing and proclaim that they were great.
Papers tell their whole life stories, from the time that they were young,
But the passing of a sailor goes unnoticed and unsung.

Is the greatest contribution to the welfare of our land
A guy who breaks his promises and cons his fellow man?
Or the ordinary fellow who, in times of war and strife,
Goes off to serve his Country and offers up his life?

A politician’s stipend and the style in which he lives
Are sometimes disproportionate to the service that he gives.
While the ordinary sailor who offered up his all,
Is paid off with a medal and perhaps, a pension small.

It’s so easy to forget them for it was so long ago,
That the old Jacks of our Country went to battle, but we know
It was not the politicians, with their compromise and ploys,
Who won for us the freedom that our Country now enjoys.

Should you find yourself in danger, with your enemies at hand,
Would you want a politician with his ever-shifting stand?
Or would you prefer a sailor, who has sworn to defend
His home, his kin and Country and would fight until the end?

He was just a common sailor and his ranks are growing thin,
But his presence should remind us we may need his like again.
For when countries are in conflict, then we find the sailors part
Is to clean up all the troubles that the politicians start.

If we cannot do him honour while he’s here to hear the praise,
Then at least let’s give him homage at the ending of his days.
Perhaps just a simple headline in a paper that would say,
Our Country is in mourning, for a sailor died today.
HMS Pelican 1938 - 1958 GGCV L86 U86 F86 What I Have I Hold ~ A wonderful bird is the Pelican its beak can hold more than its belly can.
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