A Sailor’s Ode

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Reveille, Reveille¹: booter²,  

get out of your rack³. 

All hands on deck. 

Liberty or leave  

is not permitted, Sailor. 

 

Morning colors have begun. 

Find Ole Glory  

waving high and proud. 

At attention, you must stand,  

salute smartly, and may your boots shine 

for her. Respect is already earned by  

our comrades’ blood, sweat, and tears. 

Carry on⁴, Sailor. 

 

Request permission to  

come aboard at the quarterdeck. 

From the mast to the keel,  

don’t mind the smell from the dirty bilge. 

Turn to⁵, Sailor. 

Port to starboard;  

the screams from the sick bay are clear. 

Remove your cover  

as we enter the galley 

to honor those we lost,  

enjoy the Minute Rice™ prepared under one. 

Turn to, Sailor. 

 

To bow to stern;  

below in the engine room,  

listen to the hum, which is roaring. 

Should the rumbling ever lull,  

our ship is becalmed.  

Don’t mind the  

unskilled shrill on top. 

It's just the baby boats ⁶ 

trilling the bosun’s whistle⁷. 

Turn to, Sailor. 

 

Evening colors have begun. 

Watch Ole Glory  

come down from her perch,  

along with the sun. 

Our fellow service members  

put her to bed, 

ensuring that her  

colors never run red. 

Carry on, Sailor. 

 

The toil is not yet over. 

You’ve chosen your rate⁸,  

and so you’ve chosen your fate. 

Spent from the day’s work,  

now is not the time to lament. 

Gung-ho9, there is still much  

that needs to be carried out. 

Double time, Sailor. 

 

Taps, taps, ¹⁰ 

the end of the day is here. 

Rest well,  

for your watch  

will soon be upon you. 

Tomorrow, you begin again, Sailor. 

 

Word Index:

 1: Reveille: To start duty for the day, or the workday has begun

 2: Booter: A term for someone who is freshly out of bootcamp. 

3: Rack: Bed, bunk on a ship or in the barracks. 

4: Carry on: An order to resume work or duties.

5: Turn to: A phrase that mean to ‘get to work.’’ 

6: Baby boats: A term used for a new boatswain’s mate. Usually, someone who is E-1 to E-3, non-petty officer (enlisted servicemember).   

7: Bosun’s Whistle: A common and traditional tool used by boatswain's mates to convey messages to crew members onboard a ship.  

8: Rate: Is a servicemembers job in the United States Navy.  

9: Gung-ho: A phrase that is used to motivate other sailors to work. 

10: Taps, Taps: Usually means the end of the day or quiet time for servicemembers.