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Master and Commander
Posts: 1405
Location: Houston, TX (Best state in the US) | Subject: Thanks to Robert Service
Never read this from him before but I found it today and liked it:
The Quitter
When you're lost in the Wild, and you're scared as a child,
And Death looks you bang in the eye,
And you're sore as a boil, it's according to Hoyle
To cock your revolver and... die.
But the Code of a Man says: "Fight all you can,"
And self-dissolution is barred.
In hunger and woe, oh, it's easy to blow...
It's the hell-served-for-breakfast that's hard.
"You're sick of the game!" Well, now, that's a shame.
You're young and you're brave and you're bright.
"You've had a raw deal!" I know -- but don't squeal,
Buck up, do your damnedest, and fight.
It's the plugging away that will win you the day,
So don't be a piker, old pard!
Just draw on your grit; it's so easy to quit:
It's the keeping-your-chin-up that's hard.
It's easy to cry that you're beaten -- and die;
It's easy to crawfish and crawl;
But to fight and to fight when hope's out of sight --
Why, that's the best game of them all!
And though you come out of each gruelling bout,
All broken and beaten and scarred,
Just have one more try -- it's dead easy to die,
It's the keeping-on-living that's hard. |
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COMSUBBBS
Posts: 6180
Location: Summerville, SC | Subject: RE: Thanks to Robert Service
Good one, dave, thanks. |
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Great Sage of the Sea
Posts: 590
Location: Colton, NY | Subject: RE: Thanks to Robert Service
Thanks Dave, Something I put together in 1999 Always liked Robert Service. Was introduced to his writings by a Chief on the 633
back in the mid 1970s. I had heard Jean Shepard reading
them on the radio but hadn't read any to that point.
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Master and Commander
Posts: 1405
Location: Houston, TX (Best state in the US) | Subject: RE: Thanks to Robert Service
I have some of Hank Snow reading Robert Service and today found out there was a recording in 1948 I think in which Robert Service read some of his own work. I need to track that recording down.
Also had some of Ed Begley reading Service but it was amateurish, with all due respect to Ed's great acting career.
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Master and Commander
Posts: 1814
Location: Boydton, Virginia | Subject: RE: Thanks to Robert Service
Ah, who can forget:
"There are strange things done in the midnight sun
By the men who moil for gold;
The Arctic trails have their secret tales
That would make your blood run cold;
The Northern Lights have seen queer sights,
But the queerest they ever did see
Was that night on the marge of Lake Lebarge
I cremated Sam McGee...."
Robert Service introduced poetry to many who had no love for the art (myself included)
I have a small, yellowed, dog-eared paperback of his works that I used to always take on every family camping trip to read aloud over the evenings campfire.
Steamboat sends |
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Master and Commander
Posts: 1405
Location: Houston, TX (Best state in the US) | Subject: RE: Thanks to Robert Service
a No-s**tter.....
Chief Mac and the Contact, in verse
My apologies to Robert Service and also those of you who were expecting real poetry!
There are strange things seen in a submarine
By the men who make her crew.
The pig boat swine underneath the brine
Could tell a tale or two.
And while the briny deep her secrets keep,
'bout the boats and what they do
Sometimes it's true and I'm telling you,
What goes on while you're asleep.
Some may doubt what this is about
But bubbleheads know the truth
For their bellies burn with the zeal to learn
(And also with gin and vermouth.)
The story unfolds above the holds
Of a man we'll call Chief Mac.
Mac was a Chief who issued grief
As those of his rank will do.
And he trimmed the boat just like any goat
At the BCP should do.
In the finest tradition Mac had ambition
To qualify OOD
And our old man said, "Of course he can",
Which suited Mac to a T.
So as the patrol wore on Mac took the conn
as oft as he was allowed.
And he did fine beneath the brine
Barking orders to the control room crowd.
Flawlessly he fought the sea
And did what'eer was needed
To get a sig on whatever gig
While PERMIT's mission proceeded.
Early one morning while most were snoring,
We came to periscope depth.
Mac took the conn and carried on
With orders, step by step.
In John Wayne style, Mac paced the aisle
And asked the scope be raised.
With his fingertips he held the grips
With purpose this man was crazed.
Like a capstan he swung around to see
Whatever was out on the brine.
A few seconds later this navigator
Saw a contact- visual two-oh-nine!
He hollered "Mark" and continued to bark
orders to the crew.
He said, "I'll bet my ass it's a Riga Class
And it's a fast one too!"
Now this E7 was almost in heaven
As he held the attention of all.
He gave a range and course and speed
For the image in his eyeball.
The OOD wanted to see
This contact in the scope.
But he was distressed as Mac was possessed
Like an addict is on dope.
More data came from this chief of fame
As he watched the target there
Until at last his moment passed
Twas the OOD's turn to stare.
The OOD strained to see
What Mac had just reported.
But try as he might, the object in sight
Was not as Mac purported.
The air was dense and the scene was tense
While we waited for information.
And Mac turned red as OOD said,
"That's a rock formation!"
Written by Dave Stoops 6/28/98 |
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Senior Crew
Posts: 217
| Subject: RE: Thanks to Robert Service
Not bad, Dave!  |
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Thanks to Robert Service
