Post by Administrator on Feb 5, 2020 12:37:03 GMT
SPARKS
We were two days out of Capetown-
And sailing all alone-
Crew thinking if their loved ones-
Who were waiting back at home.
And no one missed his family more-
Than sparks, who all knew well-
Whose key might be our lifeline-
Across the rolling swell.
Then early in the morning-
In a great explosion's roar-
That tin fish ripped us open-
Far from our homeland shore.
All was lost, the ship afire-
And settling by the bow-
Abandon ship, the order came-
No time to tarry now.
We lost the first assistant-
And the bosun in the blast-
But up there sending signals-
Old sparks was standing fast.
All around him raging fire-
The 88s came crashing in-
But still he keyed our lifeline-
Amid the battle's din.
Old sparks, he was a hero-
And no one would deny-
No greater gift can one man give-
Than for his shipmates die.
Ian A. Millar
We were two days out of Capetown-
And sailing all alone-
Crew thinking if their loved ones-
Who were waiting back at home.
And no one missed his family more-
Than sparks, who all knew well-
Whose key might be our lifeline-
Across the rolling swell.
Then early in the morning-
In a great explosion's roar-
That tin fish ripped us open-
Far from our homeland shore.
All was lost, the ship afire-
And settling by the bow-
Abandon ship, the order came-
No time to tarry now.
We lost the first assistant-
And the bosun in the blast-
But up there sending signals-
Old sparks was standing fast.
All around him raging fire-
The 88s came crashing in-
But still he keyed our lifeline-
Amid the battle's din.
Old sparks, he was a hero-
And no one would deny-
No greater gift can one man give-
Than for his shipmates die.
Ian A. Millar