Post by Administrator on Mar 30, 2020 12:29:25 GMT
Rob Fletcher
to
Barry Past and Present
A Sailor’s Prayer.
Lone ships of steel must plough long waves,
Below each deck a cargo stowed,
The goods that mortals, storms they brave,
Aboard those vessels, their dues owed.
Amid the squalls on oceans wide,
Where gales and hurricanes will twist
And seas in anger always chide,
Brave souls in danger must exist.
All sailors live upon each sea,
In calm their lives are tranquil made,
Yet winds will scream-huge surfs decree,
Our heroes dread and are afraid.
Collisions, fire or sinking ships,
Host’s hands are lost, no rescue feared,
Oh those who’re held in salty grips,
Succumb and drown so down they’re steered.
These lifeboats, trawlers, liners-freight,
And tankers, trampers, warships, craft,
Men and women-ships small and great,
Will care for vessels, fore and aft.
So clasp your hands and pray for souls,
Their journeys safe to bring us fare,
Becalm all oceans, slow wave rolls,
And hush the wind to please not scare.
Protect our sailors, safeguard all,
Against the tempests, keeping thus,
The goods our lives depend to call,
On those who risk their lives for us.
© Rob Fletcher. All rights reserved.
Poet’s Notes:
Barry town owes its success to its former docks. Ships from all over the world came to Barry to fill their holds with coal from the Welsh valleys.
We therefore have a glorious maritime tradition and heritage in our town and that is represented by how many mariners and sailors met their wives to be and settled here to raise families.
Barry was the busiest coal-exporting port in the world and held the record in 1913 for exporting almost a million tons of coal every month at its peak.
This newly written poem (29th March 2020) is dedicated to all sailors and mariners regardless of rank who sail on or under the seas, waterways and oceans to protect us and help give us the life we’ve been accustomed to.
Remember, when things go very wrong at sea there isn’t an emergency number that can be dialled and have first responders attend to ship’s problems within minutes or even hours. Ships can and do sink in minutes and vanish below with all on board. Not even a trace sometimes remains floating on the sea as evidence of the catastrophe.
I was kindly asked by my close friend and brother Andy to write a poem about our unsung heroes who ply the world’s seas, coasts and oceans to bring to us what we basically and mostly live on from all places to and from in the world. These men and women are the vital link who keep defence, trade and commerce alive for us by risking their lives daily. Many have lost such just so we can eat, drink, live, medicate, relax, drive and enjoy the creatures comforts we’ve been depending and relying upon for thousands of years. Even more so today.
We are kept safe and secure by our mariners and from the captain or master to the lowest ranked rating aboard, we owe them a massive debt of gratitude.
RF.
to
Barry Past and Present
A Sailor’s Prayer.
Lone ships of steel must plough long waves,
Below each deck a cargo stowed,
The goods that mortals, storms they brave,
Aboard those vessels, their dues owed.
Amid the squalls on oceans wide,
Where gales and hurricanes will twist
And seas in anger always chide,
Brave souls in danger must exist.
All sailors live upon each sea,
In calm their lives are tranquil made,
Yet winds will scream-huge surfs decree,
Our heroes dread and are afraid.
Collisions, fire or sinking ships,
Host’s hands are lost, no rescue feared,
Oh those who’re held in salty grips,
Succumb and drown so down they’re steered.
These lifeboats, trawlers, liners-freight,
And tankers, trampers, warships, craft,
Men and women-ships small and great,
Will care for vessels, fore and aft.
So clasp your hands and pray for souls,
Their journeys safe to bring us fare,
Becalm all oceans, slow wave rolls,
And hush the wind to please not scare.
Protect our sailors, safeguard all,
Against the tempests, keeping thus,
The goods our lives depend to call,
On those who risk their lives for us.
© Rob Fletcher. All rights reserved.
Poet’s Notes:
Barry town owes its success to its former docks. Ships from all over the world came to Barry to fill their holds with coal from the Welsh valleys.
We therefore have a glorious maritime tradition and heritage in our town and that is represented by how many mariners and sailors met their wives to be and settled here to raise families.
Barry was the busiest coal-exporting port in the world and held the record in 1913 for exporting almost a million tons of coal every month at its peak.
This newly written poem (29th March 2020) is dedicated to all sailors and mariners regardless of rank who sail on or under the seas, waterways and oceans to protect us and help give us the life we’ve been accustomed to.
Remember, when things go very wrong at sea there isn’t an emergency number that can be dialled and have first responders attend to ship’s problems within minutes or even hours. Ships can and do sink in minutes and vanish below with all on board. Not even a trace sometimes remains floating on the sea as evidence of the catastrophe.
I was kindly asked by my close friend and brother Andy to write a poem about our unsung heroes who ply the world’s seas, coasts and oceans to bring to us what we basically and mostly live on from all places to and from in the world. These men and women are the vital link who keep defence, trade and commerce alive for us by risking their lives daily. Many have lost such just so we can eat, drink, live, medicate, relax, drive and enjoy the creatures comforts we’ve been depending and relying upon for thousands of years. Even more so today.
We are kept safe and secure by our mariners and from the captain or master to the lowest ranked rating aboard, we owe them a massive debt of gratitude.
RF.