Bahrain, by Eric Shelman

Bahrain

By Eric Shelman

While in Bahrain 

my liberty was only on their base

where I watched and listened to a U.S.A. Navy Band of musicians and a few singers

Playing patriotic American songs and U.S.A. Navy cadences I sang back in boot camp

as I marched around with my division

who were actually truly excellent

these songs and candeces kept me entertained for a short amount of time.

as I drank and ate local and American food 

truly hoping that my liberty allowed me to find something to do off base

Our ship had beer on the pier, with a grilled hamburgers, steaks, hotdogs, and lobsters

Had a steel beach picnic on the aft part

where we had movies playing on a pulled down screen with a projector with more grilled foods and some cooked foods from our galley.

As daybreak began

heaving to the lines that bound us to the Earth

we sailed off to a new adventure.

actually I enjoyed this better than sitting on base all day, night, and not doing anything

Felt like a prisoner on base because I had no liberties off of base

Humidity and heat made it had for breathe

gave me frequent bloody noses.