A Sailor You Be

By Noel Payne

Have you felt the salt spray, upon your face?

Have you seen the porpoise at the bow, keeping pace?

Have you viewed sea birds, above the wake in flight?

Have you fixed on a star, at sunset burning bright?

Has there been a time, to save a shipmate?

Has the roll of the deck, ever kept you awake?

Has the vastness of the sea, left you feeling alone?

Has a foreign port, made you wish you were home?

If you have weighed anchor, from calm shelter.

If you have crossed the equator, at noon time swelter.

If you have stood your watch, on a pitching deck.

If you have made landfall, on the horizon a speck.

When you have secured the deck, for the night to turn in.

When you have mustered at sunrise, seen a new day begin.

When you have dogged down hatches, in a mountainous sea.

When you have known all these things, a sailor you be.

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