Poetry: Life's Numbers

Setting is in a Submarine.

LIFE’S NUMBERS

Dive!..Dive!..Dive!
Destroyer off port bow!
Sea Watch! Quickly! Close the hatch!
Crew! To battle stations now!
Dive fast! Two-oh-oh metres down!
Rig for Depth Charges too!
Now Men hold up your nerve!
Stand by! Ship’s Fire Crew!
Rig up for silent running.
Don’t anyone make a sound.
Or they’ll locate us with their Asdic.
And they’ll ping us till we’re found.
Listen! Their Screws are just above us now.
Come round five degrees to port.
We’ll play a game of Cat and Mouse.
With a lot of luck we won’t get caught.
CRUMP!..CRUMP!..CRUMP!
Hold tight! We’re under Depth Charge attack!
Thank God they all missed this time.
But, they’ll circle and then come back.
Turn now! 20 degrees to starboard!
We’ll try to get on the Destroyer’s beam.
Then come up to Periscope depth.
With a little more luck we won’t get seen.
Load up Torpedo Tubes! One, two and three!
Hopefully one of those Tin Fish will hit.
We’ll just have to wait and see.
Up Periscope!
Hold her real steady now!
Yes! There she is in front of us!
Just 500 metres from our bow!
She’s travelling around 30 knots.
Heading two-oh-oh degrees South West.
Be ready to fire all Tubes at once!
Fan Pattern firing will be the best.
Are you ready Number One!
Fire Tubes! One, two and three!
Now cross your fingers for good luck.
For an approaching death they will not see.
WHUMP!..WHUMP!..WHUMP!
Every one of those Tin Fish has struck!
It’ll mean Death for all those poor souls aboard.
And for us still living; it’s good luck!
A prayer now for all those very good Sailors.
Who bravely served that enemy ship at sea.
It’ll be tragic for all their loved ones.
But, it could have easily been you or me!
That’s the nature of all Wars.
If your number comes up; your dead!
But we won this time. Thank God!
Their numbers came up instead!

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