King Ratt
21st January 2007, 18:10
DEDICATION
Two falling stars of green, the wisps of smoke
Shredded and scattered by the South East gale
The whispered bangs and half the town awoke
And men came tumbling out prepared to sail.
The youngest lad, half-clad but undeterred
Bareheaded, breathless, brash and first away
And then his elders stormrigged, booted,, spurred
Full battle order, ready for the fray.
The heavy doors were wrestled back and pinned
While someone laid the bow preventer clear.
By now the strident voices of the wind
Were drowned by engines revving out of gear.
And then the shout “Let go”, away she sped
Into the black dark wilderness of night;
The coxwain fought the wheel to fetch her head
Close to the wind to stem the friendly light.
One flash, a heartbeat long, then black as pitch
That seemed to last forever-how she yawed
And staggered, veered and slewed, the wayward *****-
And then the lighthouse flashed again, thank God.
Threequarters ebb and wind against the tide,
The bar was shallow now and hissing white
With foam in streaks like brushstrokes, side to side
Across the wild dark canvas of the night.
Black walls of water from God knows how far,
Seas that were spawned a hundred miles away,
Unbalanced, burst in turmoil on the bar
And disappeared astern in sheets of spray.
But now we’re clear and squared away Sou’west,
The graveyard watch and still two hours to steam;
No comfort now, no warmth, no bloody rest
As long’s we have this weather on the beam.
The hourglass fettered now, no longer free;
The cold that thicks the blood has slowed the sand.
An hour to go D.R. before we see
The even darker darkness of the land.
The driving rain has turned to searing sleet
That blinds the eyes but never slacks the pace
The diesels drumming never missed a beat
Such music keeps the smile on *Selwyn’s face.
And then the Coastguard crackled on the air,
“The casualty is safe now-making way.
Return to station-when will you be there?”
Later we’d call and give our ETA.
The flame that spurred us out no longer burned
Cheated of worthwhile deeds that might have been
Wet cold and weary as for home we turned
And still that bloody bar is in between.
Three hours at least to dodge and wait for tide
With “Captain Kalt” on board and “Mal de Mer”;
Poor shipmates these, who tempt us on inside
But wait we must for there’s no room to err.
At last, at last, the run for home is on
Streaming the drogue in case she tries to broach
Grey faces in the grey half light of dawn
See boathouse lights come on at our approach.
The breasting rope is rove, the shoreline caught
By freezing fingers, throbbing now with pain.
The heel is on, the span is rigged and taut
The job is over now-she’s home again.
Rehoused, refuelled, fit once more for sea!
The boat at least, but what about the men?
No shame on them-the choice is always free-
If someone failed to turn out again.
Two falling stars of green lit up the sky,
Bangs to arouse the dead awoke the men,
The same old faces-Christ! I wonder why
And how that bloody boy was first again.
· RNLI Engineer
Poem written by retd Kirkcudbright Lifeboat Coxwain G C Davidson.
Two falling stars of green, the wisps of smoke
Shredded and scattered by the South East gale
The whispered bangs and half the town awoke
And men came tumbling out prepared to sail.
The youngest lad, half-clad but undeterred
Bareheaded, breathless, brash and first away
And then his elders stormrigged, booted,, spurred
Full battle order, ready for the fray.
The heavy doors were wrestled back and pinned
While someone laid the bow preventer clear.
By now the strident voices of the wind
Were drowned by engines revving out of gear.
And then the shout “Let go”, away she sped
Into the black dark wilderness of night;
The coxwain fought the wheel to fetch her head
Close to the wind to stem the friendly light.
One flash, a heartbeat long, then black as pitch
That seemed to last forever-how she yawed
And staggered, veered and slewed, the wayward *****-
And then the lighthouse flashed again, thank God.
Threequarters ebb and wind against the tide,
The bar was shallow now and hissing white
With foam in streaks like brushstrokes, side to side
Across the wild dark canvas of the night.
Black walls of water from God knows how far,
Seas that were spawned a hundred miles away,
Unbalanced, burst in turmoil on the bar
And disappeared astern in sheets of spray.
But now we’re clear and squared away Sou’west,
The graveyard watch and still two hours to steam;
No comfort now, no warmth, no bloody rest
As long’s we have this weather on the beam.
The hourglass fettered now, no longer free;
The cold that thicks the blood has slowed the sand.
An hour to go D.R. before we see
The even darker darkness of the land.
The driving rain has turned to searing sleet
That blinds the eyes but never slacks the pace
The diesels drumming never missed a beat
Such music keeps the smile on *Selwyn’s face.
And then the Coastguard crackled on the air,
“The casualty is safe now-making way.
Return to station-when will you be there?”
Later we’d call and give our ETA.
The flame that spurred us out no longer burned
Cheated of worthwhile deeds that might have been
Wet cold and weary as for home we turned
And still that bloody bar is in between.
Three hours at least to dodge and wait for tide
With “Captain Kalt” on board and “Mal de Mer”;
Poor shipmates these, who tempt us on inside
But wait we must for there’s no room to err.
At last, at last, the run for home is on
Streaming the drogue in case she tries to broach
Grey faces in the grey half light of dawn
See boathouse lights come on at our approach.
The breasting rope is rove, the shoreline caught
By freezing fingers, throbbing now with pain.
The heel is on, the span is rigged and taut
The job is over now-she’s home again.
Rehoused, refuelled, fit once more for sea!
The boat at least, but what about the men?
No shame on them-the choice is always free-
If someone failed to turn out again.
Two falling stars of green lit up the sky,
Bangs to arouse the dead awoke the men,
The same old faces-Christ! I wonder why
And how that bloody boy was first again.
· RNLI Engineer
Poem written by retd Kirkcudbright Lifeboat Coxwain G C Davidson.