Mid-Rats, by Thomas M. McDade

Rations

The soup made
standing the mid
watch worth it.
Particularly
the chicken
variety
its noodles
chopped
so small as
to not
remind you
of a knot
you were trying
to master for
seaman practical
factors
but Christ
salty enough
to twitch
your fingers.

Thomas M. McDade is a 77-year-old resident of Fredericksburg, VA, previously CT & RI. He is a graduate of Fairfield University, Fairfield, CT. McDade is twice a U.S. Navy Veteran serving ashore at the Fleet Anti-Air Warfare Training Center, Dam Neck Virginia Beach, VA, and at sea aboard the USS Mullinnix (DD-944) and USS Miller (DE / FF-1091).