“At Long Last”

Another Nautical Navy Poem found from a long ago Destroyer.

I hope you shipmates like it ...

What manner of ship is this I see?

With all hands turned to on bended knee?

All of her crew are working hard

While other ships are resting in the yard.

Men painting her guns and painting her sides;

From every position a bos’n chair rides…

It looks like an ant hill covered with ants;

The only difference is bell bottom pants.

Trucks full of chow and some full of gear

Are constantly stepping along the pier.

They’re filling her holds and taking great care;

Could it be that she’s going somewhere?

Snipes are busy checking such things

As diesel generator and main bearing rings.

Everyone’s moving at such a fast pace

That it looks like some fanatical race!

The Yeoman are turned to typing out papers,

While short tiers are doing all kinds of capers.

Disbursing personnel are trying to calculate pay;

Gods even the Doc is painting sick bay.

The Deck Force has gone ape, painting around,

From crack of dawn ‘til the sun goes is drowned.

No matter where you look, from No. 2 stack to keel,

The waiting is over. THIS IS FOR REAL!

What makes a ship act in these strange ways?

It’s easy to figure, only a few more days.

You ask where she’s going, where she will roam?

Nowhere my friends, she’s just going HOME!