A SAILOR'S WISH

A SAILOR'S WISH

To my POP

A great mighty spirit
once told me.
The heart of a sailor
lives in the sea.

They breathe
salt air.
Many burdens
they bear.

Principle and honor,
traits of these men.
Standards to live by
their essence do send.

Welcome home
the sea does say,
When a sailor dies
on his fateful day.

His soul goes to heaven
when it's time to go.
But his spirit lives on
in the waters below.

Lay me down
close to the sea.
Here is a sailor
wanting to be.

Thank you LORD
for the life I live.
The sea wholeheartedly
my heart I give.

I was a sailor,
I am proud to say.
I served my country
in this special way.

When I die
I will not be alone.
For many sailors
have made it their home.

I never knew why
I was drawn to the sea.
As if a great mystery
was calling to me.

It must be part of heaven
for GOD truly gives,
Beneath the water
where a sailor's heart lives.



by THOMAS RAY
copyrighted 2006

Author's comments:

Thanks to my POP and the UNITED STATES NAVY. I was just a lowly seaman (fireman actually, in the boiler room, 140 degrees at full stream) but my POP was a chief warrant officer 4, the highest rank you can get as an enlisted person.
"IMPERIVM NEPTVNI REGIS" BY ORDER OF DAVEY JONES (HIS MAJESTY'S SCRIBE) AND NEPTUNIS REX (RULER OF THE RAGING MAIN).