This is excellent- thanks for posting it!
And Happy New Years to my fellow boatnerds! :)
The Night Before Christmas- Great Lakes version!
-
Angie
Re: The Night Before Christmas- Great Lakes version!
Very cool, sgrima. Thanks for sharing, & Happy New Year to you & yours!
The Night Before Christmas- Great Lakes version!
I wrote this in 2005 as a cadet on the SS Courtney Burton. I couldn't get my current ship's name to fit the poem, Enjoy!
The Night Before Christmas Great Lakes version
By Stephen Grima
Christmas 2005
Taws the day before Christmas and all through the ship
The boilers were roaring as we left from our slip.
The AB’s stood watch as we headed into the snow
A blinding Gail was coming, it was starting to blow
Everyone was tense as we knew what was coming
When we cleared 1 & 2, North we were running
Lake Huron’s furry gave us a fright
But we had to make dock, for it was Christmas night
Up one wave and down another
The pilot house windows rattled and shuttered
The wind was so cold it never seemed to end
I hoped all we had to do was get around the next bend
We had a rough ride all day and
By noon the crew was a dismay
When night finally came we had reached Calcite
My family came to see me it was such a delight
They hugged and kissed me and said Merry Christmas
“Daddy” my little one said “why is their fog all over your glasses?”
My wife said “we watched you come in as it started to snow
Your red and green side lights give the ship a Holiday Glow’
My family had leave as we started to load limestone rock
It was bound for Cleveland to be made into chalk
I told my little ones “you go to bed now you hear
Santa’s on his way, in fact he’s already here”
“We saw him flying over the Lake Huron Skies
With his sleigh and reindeer it was quite a surprise”
My family’s eyes looked sad and lonely
But my wife knew I was her one and only
The ship was done loading, and we threw off our cable
The hatches were secured this ship was quite able
I stood on the fan tail waving good bye
“I love you all” I said and my wife started to cry
As I walked up the deck to go to my rack
I felt something and started to turn back
I looked up in the night sky and couldn’t believe what I saw
It was a sleigh and reindeer I stood there in awe
Santa shouted from his sleigh “Merry Christmas Courtney Burton
I know what sailors go through it is quite a burden”
“To be away from your families has got to be hard
Do not worry I send you all this Christmas card”
“God bless you all with fair winds and following sea
What I am about to say will bring you much glee”
“For layup is coming soon and you will be home
Your family will be glad and you will be whole”
"Merry Christmas, Ho Ho Ho!"
The Night Before Christmas Great Lakes version
By Stephen Grima
Christmas 2005
Taws the day before Christmas and all through the ship
The boilers were roaring as we left from our slip.
The AB’s stood watch as we headed into the snow
A blinding Gail was coming, it was starting to blow
Everyone was tense as we knew what was coming
When we cleared 1 & 2, North we were running
Lake Huron’s furry gave us a fright
But we had to make dock, for it was Christmas night
Up one wave and down another
The pilot house windows rattled and shuttered
The wind was so cold it never seemed to end
I hoped all we had to do was get around the next bend
We had a rough ride all day and
By noon the crew was a dismay
When night finally came we had reached Calcite
My family came to see me it was such a delight
They hugged and kissed me and said Merry Christmas
“Daddy” my little one said “why is their fog all over your glasses?”
My wife said “we watched you come in as it started to snow
Your red and green side lights give the ship a Holiday Glow’
My family had leave as we started to load limestone rock
It was bound for Cleveland to be made into chalk
I told my little ones “you go to bed now you hear
Santa’s on his way, in fact he’s already here”
“We saw him flying over the Lake Huron Skies
With his sleigh and reindeer it was quite a surprise”
My family’s eyes looked sad and lonely
But my wife knew I was her one and only
The ship was done loading, and we threw off our cable
The hatches were secured this ship was quite able
I stood on the fan tail waving good bye
“I love you all” I said and my wife started to cry
As I walked up the deck to go to my rack
I felt something and started to turn back
I looked up in the night sky and couldn’t believe what I saw
It was a sleigh and reindeer I stood there in awe
Santa shouted from his sleigh “Merry Christmas Courtney Burton
I know what sailors go through it is quite a burden”
“To be away from your families has got to be hard
Do not worry I send you all this Christmas card”
“God bless you all with fair winds and following sea
What I am about to say will bring you much glee”
“For layup is coming soon and you will be home
Your family will be glad and you will be whole”
"Merry Christmas, Ho Ho Ho!"