Poems what I had to learn !

[Nairda59]

As Ernie Wise would have wrote.
Some of these do seem very appropriate this week. Those with good memorys will know you had to be able to recite them when called upon. At 16 I took the business seriously, those of a certain age will see that although it looks like a mistake in fact it isnt - answers on a postcard.

Two Steam ships meeting
When all three light I see ahead
I port my helm and show my red

Two Steam ships passing
Green to green or red to red
perfectly safe - go ahead

A good lookout
Both in safety and in doubt
I always keep a sharp lookout
In danger and with no room to turn
I ease her - stop her - go astern

Two steam ships crossing
If to my starboard red appear
tis my duty to keep clear
Act as judgement says is proper
port or starboard, back or stop her
But when upon my port is seen
a steamers starboard light of green
for me theres nought to do but see
that green to port keeps clear of me

[Robert Hilton]

I read these as Thomas Gray's (or Grey's) aids to memory. They were helpful, but we were required to learn the Rules parrot fashion as quoting them in a seamanshio oral was supposed to be the way to flummox the examiner.

There also exists a number of parodies, such as:

If both lights you see ahead,
Leave the wheel and go to bed.

[Varley]

If a red you see in front,
Full ahead and ram the ........

(Learned from a young plumber. Now not so young).

[billyboy]

Upon my beam a submarine
The biggest ******* I've ever seen
and on my bow another cow.....
Said be a Mate as we steamed through a submarine exercise area near Portland.