Jackson County sentinel. (Gainesboro, Tenn.) 1914-current, 1919-05-01
Jim" TELLS OF SHIPS
POET and GIVES POEM.
Geona, Italy,
Dec. 20, 1919.

seem much like a birthday to me
just now. | fully expected tc
spend it in Rome, and last night
| had a great Disappointment
when | found out that things
had taken a turn for the worse
and the chef in my department
went, and so had to stay on
the job.
In my present mood | am go
ing to infict upon you a sample
of what | go through with often
when the ships poet lariat wakes
feverish. | usually copy his
efforts for him, to accommodate
him, and thus | enjoy them two
times to your once. Below is a
sample of what married man
with two children can do when
all "het" up. You can see for
yourself that the poem below
was motivated under strenuous
emotional circumstances. He
came aboard the other night
laboring greatly and taking a
starboard tack into a heavy sea.
His tops'ls were double reefed
and his lee scuppers were awash,
but nevertheless he sat him
down and delivered himself of
this. He never writes except
when he is 'let," and says he
must be drunk before the muse
will move him. You would never
guess, would you, that this
gem" was spontaneous? 1t has
all the earmarks of having been
given considerable thought.
How inescapably expressive it is;
how appealing; how words fail
me. | am not sure which one of
the muses. moved him to do this;
whether there were more than
one muse or what they. or it,
used to move him with. Ishould
Judge, however, that nothing
less than a blunt instrument or a
bare bodkin could induce a mere
mortal to pour his soul out in
such a libation. Here goes:
To leave you, dear itwas hard,
The hardest thing of all,
But am not Stacker,
When ! hear my country's call.
used to be with you often,
Those Beautiful, happy days,
But it makes me blue to think
That we are far away.
Some day in the near future,
This great conflict will end,
And the sailor boy who loves you
Will come back to you again.
1t is the duty Of every girl
Who is left behind
To always remember the boy
She loved
Who is on the firing lire.
He did not want to leave you
For he has gone to risk his life;
He is a true American
And uph bids the Stars and Stripes.
The girls here are beautiful
Most everywhere you roam;
But are nothing to compare
With the ones at home.
told you when kissed you,
Those little lips so sweet,
That was going to leave you,
And again We may never meet.
Don't give up, my darling,
If you love me, you will wait,
Ii we don't meet on earth,
We will meet at the Golden Gate!
Some girls are not patient,
Who will not wait so loTg,
Will go and love Stacker
When their sailor boy is gone.
When he goes to fight the battle
For his country and for you,
His thoughts are always resting
On the one he thinks is true.
When he returns in years to come
And finds you false.
His whole life will be ruined
And his happiness lost.
Don't bear this strain. little girl
Make your love be true.
Greet the boy in blue
When he comes marching back to you
Throw your arms about him.
Let him kiss your sweet little lips
Then he will joyfully tell you
About all his wonderful trips
Do not respect a Stacker.
They don't deserve chance,
The bows who you should honor
Are the boys who 60 to France.
Twill close this letter hoping
You will be mine some day,
As | bid you good bye for this hou
And good bye for this day.
Ifis'a good bye for 8 month