u.s. coast guard poem

[RAMEYERUSCG@YAHOO.COM]

I was inspired to rewrite a poem that a Marine stationed in Okinawa Japan had written. He had written a similar poem describing a soldier. I had changed some of the wording and added some verses to reflect my experiences in the USCG. I give all credit to that U.S. Marine for the story line and giving me ideas to reflect in my version of his poem. I have served in the: U.S. Army National Guard (Arizona) 1984-1986 U.S. Army 3/11 Armour Calvary Regiment (East West German Boarder) 1986-1988 101 Airborne 1988-1989 USCG Honor Guard 1993-1995 USCGC MUNRO 1995-1998 USCG International Training Division 1998-present MK1 Richard A. Meyer III, USCG rameyeruscg@... T'WAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, THEY SLEPT ALL ALONE, IN THEIR RACKS MADE OF STEEL AND FOAM. I HAD COME DOWN THE SMOKE STACK WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE, AND TO SEE JUST WHO IN THIS SHIP DID LIVE. I WALKED DOWN GLOOMY PASSAGEWAYS AND LADDERS HURTING MY KNEES AND BACK, WHILE TRYING TO FIND MY WAY TO THE SAILOR'S RACK. I HEARD STRANGE SOUNDS ALL ABOUT, ENGINES, PUMPS AND CREAKING FROM THIS OLD SHIP OF STEEL, SEA SICK I DID START TO FEEL WITH THE SEA TOSSING ME ALL ABOUT, A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE, NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS, NOT EVEN A TREE. NO STOCKING WERE HUNG, JUST BOOTS BY THEIR RACKS, ON THE BULKHEAD HUNG PICTURES OF FAMILY AND PLACES BACK HOME I SAW A UNIFORM WITH RIBBONS AND BADGES OF ALL KINDS, A SOBER THOUGHT DRIFTED INTO MY MIND. FOR THIS SHIP WAS DIFFERENT, IT WAS DARK, MUSTY AND DREARY, I FOUND THE HOME OF A U.S. SERVICE SAILOR, ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY. A SAILOR LAY SLEEPING, SILENT AND ALONE, CURLED UP ON HIS PAD IN HIS BUNK HE CALLED HOME. THE FACE LOOKED SALTY AND WEATHERED, THE RACK SO SMALL AND DIM, NOT HOW I PICTURED A UNITED STATES COAST GUARDSMEN. WAS THIS THE COSTIE OF WHOM I'D JUST READ? CURLED UP AND SNORING, WITH A FOAM PAD FOR A BED? I REALIZED THAT SOME FAMILIES THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SAILORS WHO WOULD RISK THEIR LIVES TO SAVE OTHERS. SOON AROUND THE WORLD, CHILDREN AND GROWNUPS WOULD PRAY AND BE THANKFUL TO CELEBRATE A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY. THEY ALL ENJOYED LIFE AND FREEDOM EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR, BECAUSE OF THESE SAILORS, LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE. I COULDN'T HELP WONDER HOW MANY LAY ALONE, ON A COLD MISTY CHRISTMAS EVE IN A SHIP FAR FROM HOME. THE VERY THOUGHT BROUGHT A SALTY TEAR TO MY EYE, I DROPPED TO MY KNEES AND STARTED TO CRY. THE COSTIE AWAKENED AND I HEARD A ROUGH GRUFF VOICE, "SANTA DON'T CRY, THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE"; "I SAVE LIVES FROM THE SEA, I CATCH SMUGGLERS AND POACHERS I DON'T ASK FOR MORE, MY LIFE IS MY GOD, COUNTRY, AND GUARD". THE SAILOR ROLLED OVER WITH A SWELL FROM THE SEA AND SOON DRIFTED TO SLEEP, I CONTINUED TO WEEP. I STOOD WATCH FOR HOURS, SO SILENT AND STILL AND WE BOTH SHIVERED FROM THE SEA'S COLD SALTY CHILL. I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE ON THAT FOGGY, COLD, DARK, NIGHT, THIS GUARDIAN OF THE SEA SO WILLING TO SERVE FOR THE RIGHT. THEN THE SAILOR ROLLED OVER, WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE, WHISPERED, "FAR WINDS AND FOLLOWING SEAS, IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, THE COAST IS SAFE." ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH AND I KNEW THE COSTIE WAS RIGHT. MERRY CHRISTMAS MY GUARDIAN OF THE SEA, AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT." MK1 Richard A. Meyer III United States Coast Guard Honor, Respect and Devotion to Duty Semper Paratus Below was the Marines request. I in turn ask for the same. PLEASE. Would you do me the kind favor of sending this to as many people as you can? Christmas will be coming soon and some credit is due to our U.S. service men and women for our being able to celebrate these festivities. Let's try in this small way to pay a tiny bit of what we owe. Make people stop and think of our heroes, living and dead, who sacrificed themselves for us. Please, do your small part to plant this small seed.