"nco" poems
My feet are flat, my eyes are bad
It hurts for me to run
"you've checked out fine" the doctor said
"You're in the Army, son!"
It makes no sense
They can't be right
I've even brought a note
"Stop staring son, and shut your mouth"
"'before I cut your throat"!
"But, Captain....sir"
"I'm all 4F"
"There's no way you'll want me"
"Put your arm down, boy, stop salutin'"
"I'm a Sargeant, don't you see?"
"I'm an NCO, a working man"
"Not a pencil pushing geek"
"I own your life, you're mine now boy"
"You long haired, hippy freak"
"I've got ten weeks, to shape you up"
"I'll teach you how to fight"
"Now grab your gear and follow close"
"And don't lose my tail lights"
"Welcome to the forces folks,"
"Now repeat after me"
"I joined up of my own free will"
"I'm here voluntarily"
"Select your bunk and grab some sleep"
"Your new life starts at dawn
"Forget about the world you know"
"Now, all of that is gone."
I hit the bunk and closed my eyes
And was just falling asleep
When in the room I heard a noise
"Wake up, you long haired creeps!"
I jumped on up, as did we all
Saluting was our mission
"Drop your arms you maggots..now"
and assume the position"
"Push-ups lads, that's how you'll grow
"to respect just why you're here"
"Right now, though I don't smell courage boys"
"Right now, I just smell fear"
It took us almost half the day
To do ten that were right
If this alone would do me in
I'd be dead before tonight.
May 4, 2012
May 4, 2012 at 8:40 PM UTC
You took the dog for a walk
across the grass out of your
auntie’s sight and wandered
about the barracks looking
through window by standing
on steps or pulling yourself
up by fingertips on windowsills
peering through the windows
spying on the regiment for
some inward game and the
dog sat watching you wagging
its tail its pink tongue hanging
out in the hot summer weather
and once you and the dog crawled
under a gate and you pulled
yourself up by the fingertips
on a windowsill and saw through
an open window soldiers
sitting at desks before a large
blackboard being talked to by
a NCO and who spotting you
bellowed out WHO THE FUCK'S
THAT! and you jumped down
and ran the dog beating you to
the gate and under as you being
less agile got stuck as the NCO
came running up and pulled you
out and up and said Right Sonny
I suggest you get yourself back
to barracks before I tell your
parents what a bad lad you've
been and then he opened the gate
and off you ran the dog running
beside you its tongue out in a self
satisfied way and you thinking what
a bad end to a could have been fun day.
May 25, 2012
May 25, 2012 at 2:15 PM UTC
A memory of Daddy
Lisa Noe
It happened long ago on Keesler Air Force Base
I went to the NCO club, which was our favorite place
Daddy and I would visit here every Sunday morn.
The food we ordered was very Southern
Biscuits and gravy and French toast
That is what I liked the most
Sometimes we’d go and fish
But I detested that dish
So we’d always throw them back
But fun we did not lack
We caught some flounders on our hooks,
But that we never cooked.
Then to the park we would go
I ‘d swing to and fro
Go down the slide a time or two
I would always over do
But the fun that we had
Always made me love my dad
That is a memory that I cherish
And it will never perish
My dad is gone now
But I shall always be his pal
He called me shadow
That was many years ago
Special are my memories
He made us the best of families
All of us adored him
His light will never dim
I miss him so much
As I loved him a bunch.
Oct 13, 2016
Oct 13, 2016 at 10:56 AM UTC
Mid Watch, But Without a Watch
Guarding an empty clothesline until four
With Springfield rifle at right shoulder arms
And sometimes something else: left shoulder arms
Because some NCO is sure to pass
And yelp about the proper rifle carry;
Until he does, the solitude is sweet
The San Diego night all damp and still
The recruit thinks and dreams, but dare not speak
While being trained for combat in Viet-Nam
Guarding an empty clothesline in the night
Nov 10, 2016
Nov 10, 2016 at 8:40 PM UTC