A Time To Remember

We boarded the boat.
We went with full hearts.
We learned the controls.
We then learned the parts.

We have never served
a harder, keen master.
We knew that our life
was coming a bit faster.

Quick as a wink,
soft as a sigh,
we gathered our wits,
not knowing just why.

Protect our home,
protect our folks,
gather your courage,
take to the boats.

Submerge and secure
the ocean from harm.
No hesitation,
it's time to take arm!

No thought of the future,
no time for the past,
only look forward
and answer the mast.

Lean on your equipment,
trust in your gear,
the timing is crucial,
the time is so near.

Hear your friend
answer the call,
know the response
is truly his all.

Rally and trust,
was there ever more?
80 young men
it's only 4 score.

80 young men,
no longer that young,
working together,
their time has come.

Pulling together,
not a man apart,
gave of his soul,
gave of his heart.

Time was not theirs
of this they were free,
jobs to accomplish,
all men agree.

Run to your station,
run to your post.
Stand a bit taller,
give her your most.

Sweat from the brow,
sweat from the work,
grasp your task firmly,
with never a shirk.

Give of yourself,
give for your wife,
give for your friends,
even your life.

No time to be thinking,
it's time to respond.
gather your wits,
build on the bond.

Know you can trust,
know it's assured,
all of your shipmates
are just as secured.

Doing their job,
just as required,
not asking for help,
not saying they're tired.

The bones of the weary,
the bones of your soul,
are asking so silent,
can I ever get home.

The question never
has time to escape,
the wonder, the horror
it's all you can take.

Then the quiet,
when did it come?
The timing, the moment,
are we undone?

Wait a few moments,
wait a few more.
Realize finally
there's safety below.

Hold to your station,
hold to you task,
the captain is smiling,
is it only a mask?

The sea is now quiet,
the boat is now calm,
there's time to reflect,
this time there's no harm.

We get to go home,
we get to go back,
we get to enjoy,
one more evening snack.

Tired from the journey,
tired from the trip,
in only a moment
it's time to quit.

Back off and savor
the time so supreme
when minutes and hours
were only a dream.

Eat of the icecream,
drink of the beer,
remember the moments,
they're ever so clear.

Never again in my lifetime
will I hold time so dear,
the actions, the minutes,
they're all so damn clear.

I gave of my heart,
I gave it my all,
my ship mates were waiting,
I answered the call.

Now I can only
remember that dream,
remember the good times,
remember the scene.

Was I that scared?
Was it only by rote?
Did I really answer
the call of the boat?

I guess that I served
her requirements dear.
She brought us to safety
and showed us no fear.

She went deep when needed,
she creaked and she groaned,
she took care of us all
without even a moan.

She had her job,
just as we did.
We served her, she served us,
no longer a kid.

Neither her nor I.