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The Navy Night Before Christmas
Submitted By: Joe Schwaab
'Twas the
night before Christmas, compartments were still, The sailors were sleeping, as
most sailors will.
The ditty bags hung by the lockers with care, In hopes that St. Nicholas soon
would be there.
The men were all peacefully dreaming in bed, As visions of liberty danced in
each head.
The Chief in his skivvies, hopped into his rack, Having just came from Chief’s
mess for a quick midnight snack.
When out on the deck there arose such a roar, I ran to the porthole to find out
the score.
I stuck out my head and started to shout, "Just what the …… is noise all about?"
A moon made for independent streaming showed with a glow, It was downright cold
out, 'bout seven below.
What I saw out there looked like one of those Mardi Gras floats, 'Twas a
Captain's gig drawn by four white Navy goats.
Rising from the craft was a man who seemed quiet and moody, I knew in an instant
St.
Nick had the duty.
To him quickly the billy goats came, as he shouted and whistled and called each
by name.
"Now Perry, now Farragut, Dewey and Jones, What's the matter John Paul, got lead
in your bones?
A little to Starb'rd, now hold it up short, No fluffing off now, or you'll go on
report!"
He was wearing dress "Reds" that fit like a charm, Hash marks covered the length
of his arm.
The gifts to be issued were all in his pack, The gedunk was ready to leave on
each rack.
His eyes they were watering, his nose caked with ice, He wiped it with canvas,
then sneezed once or twice.
He opened his mouth and started to yawn, It looked like the Sun coming up with
the dawn.
The stump of a pipe, he held tight in his teeth, And took a small nip from a
bottle beneath.
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