He slothered his face with black oil paint
Praying the rescue ships wouldn’t be too late
For All accounts, he was ok
Ok would change for him this day
Not knowing he’d be in the water five days
He slothered his face with black oil paint
All around was a broken ship
Within twelve minutes she took her final dip
Sailors to the left and sailors to the right
Death dying wails, screams, and cries
Not knowing his fate
He slothered his face with black oil paint
Tying themselves together best they could
Sharks knocking the raft wood
No fresh water for five days
Created men no longer sane
Chaplain Conway became OUR patron Saint
He slothered his face with black oil paint
Survivors thought all was lost.
Plane sea landing - barring the cost
USS Indianapolis survivors numbering 317
Rescue was surreal felt like a dream
Rescue teams pulled them from the water
Finally freeing themselves of the black slother …..
***Slother was the word that Kimberly Stowe Green crafted for this poem ***
USS Indianapolis was sunk by the Japanese
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Treading Water
by Kimberly Stowe Green
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