A Sailors Poem

Come gather round me lads and I'll tell you a thing or two; About the way we ran the Navy in nineteen sixty two.

When wooden ships and iron men were barely out of sight; I am going to give you some facts just to set the record right.

We wore the ole bell bottoms, with a flat hat on our head; Always hit the rack at night and never "went to bed."

Our uniforms were worn ashore and we were mighty proud; Never thought of wearing civvies, in fact they were never allowed.

What happened to the KiYi brush, and the old salt-water bath; Holy stoning decks at night cause you stirred old Bosn's wrath!

We always had our gedunk stand and lots of pogey bait; And it always took a hitch or two just to make a rate.

In your seabag all your skivvies, were neatly stopped and rolled; And the blankets on your sack had better have a three-inch fold.

Your little ditty bag, it is hard to believe just how much it held; You wouldn't go ashore with pants that hadn't been spiked and belled.

We had scullery maids and succotash and good old SOS; And when you felt like topping off, you headed for the mess.

Oh we had our belly robbers but there weren't too many gripes; For the deck apes were never hungry and there were no starving snipes.

Now you never hear of Davy Jones, Shellbacks or Polliwogs; And you  never splice the mainbrace to receive your daily grog.

Now you never have to dog a watch or stand the main vent; You even tie your lines today, back in my time they were bent.

We were all two-fisted drinkers and no one thought you sinned; If you staggered back aboard your ship, three sheets to the wind.

And with just a couple hours of sleep you regained your usual luster; Bright eyed and bushy tailed, you still made morning muster.

Rocks and shoals have long since gone, and now it's UCMJ; Then the old man handled every thing if you should go astray.

Now they steer the ships with dials, and I wouldn't be surprised; If some day they sailed them from the beach computerized.

So when my earthly hitch is over, and the good Lord picks the best; I'll walk right up to HIM and say, "Sir, I have but one request.

Let me sail the seas of Heaven in a coat of Navy blue; Like I did so long ago on earth way back in nineteen- sixty-two