J.P.G. Poems
Submariners ©
By Joseph P. Gimenez
2010 for the Red Hook Series
Silently
you slip beneath the waves
You trip
depends on how your vessel behaves
Built
sturdy and strong she gives you life
Almost
the same as your beautiful wife.
You pull
out of port destination unknown
The only
thing you know is the headings shown
You
patrol the seas and run silent and deep
There is
a secret destination which you must keep.
Months
pass by in your tiny cocoon
You know
all you shipmates because there’s no room
You
think each day that you patrol will end soon
It’s
been many months now and your joy has no bloom
You
visit some ports they’re exciting at first
But this
is the 12th visit and so you rehearse
The bars
that you go are well known by all
There is
little to do except for the occasional brawl
You try
your best to cope since you were schooled for this trip
The COB
is in charge and don’t give him any lip.
He’s the
one you go to when trouble is on your mind.
But
remember his motto to be always on time.
So, a
submariner’s life is something to see
They hot
rack sometimes but that’s just a fact of life to me
I always
believe that we will make it home
For a
submariner and your shipmates, you are never alone.
Give me
the ocean deep and sea breeze in my hair,
It’s not
very often we surface but we haven’t a care
We know
that the reason we are way far below
Is to
protect those above who we know and don’t know.