Orphaned Islands (Un)poetry

They were many rules
some to do with safety
lots about behaviour
and some concerning stratification.
Mess
lounges
accommodation
accessible only by hierarchical right, or as guest.

Rules protected and nurtured the hierarchy
NCO’s, officers and supervisors to treat with respect
workers to be respectful.
Insubordination
or tyranny
there were rules for that too.

Rule # 1
go to the bar or party where dissent will intersect
toss a few down quickly
tequila or Jack Daniels the excuse of choice
feign alcohol loosened abandon
stumble into target and slur coiled venom.

Rule #2
Allow recipient to adopt same counterfeit drunkenness.

Rule #3
in the morning find the target
manufacture surprise
mumble hazy non memory
and might have been out of line, line
accept reciprocal insincerity.
Antibiotic charade prevents lethal infection.

For the back story click Backstage

Sunday night
after the steak and lobster
after cheesecake or pecan pie
after the soft serve ice cream has been refilled
and fresh coffee brewed
at 7:00 p.m –  the weekly science lecture.

Science as necessary to Antarctica
as embassies to the CIA
an excuse for a presence.
Physicists, geologists, marine biologists
from universities of California and Connecticut
Arizona, Alaska and Florida
all submit proposals to Washington
the lucky spinning summer sojourn to career.

All successful proposals become projects
all projects have an alpha numeric prefix
and a PI
PI not a gumshoe shoe auditor
from the Division of Polar Programmes
Principal Investigator.
All PI’s have to pay the piper
with a Sunday lecture
describing their work, findings and conclusions.

He had first come here in 1960/61
as a young graduate student
now back 25 years later
a marine biologist and expert in starfish.
This, his first lecture
it is interesting and well received.

In 60/61 the program primitive and small
people kept asking him
what was it like back then?
He had a few slides posted down
so for the final five minutes
he would show a little of McMurdo when young.

Same time, same place
one year later.
The marine biologist comes to the podium
telling the audience of last year’s lecture
50 minutes of research
five minutes of nostalgia
his had been voted best lecture
just one small adjustment needed
so this year
he’d, “got rid of all that starfish stuff.”

For the back story click Backstage

Abbreviations
there were so many.

POD. Plan of the day.
NOTAMS. Notices to airmen
PTAC. Polar transport aircraft commander
MRE. Meals ready to eat
ETA. Expected arrival time
ETD. Expected departure time

And DV
DV.  Distinguished visitor
flying visits
literally
four or five days
shaking hands
dedicating new buildings
sightseeing.
Senators, congressmen, persons of influence
those who kept the purse open
or able to persuade loosening.

Funding. That was NSF’s problem
the Navy did logistics
mother of the household
feeding, healthcare, transport
NSF was the breadwinner.
To the Navy DV’s were not a big deal
“ no biggy,” was the catch cry blowing through a kitchen
whenever distinguished visitors blew through town.
Not this time.

He had his own unique abbreviation
CINCPAC. Commander in Chief Pacific Fleet.
A very distinguished visitor. VDV
The big cheese
the head serang
an admiral of course.
A very big deal
“ bestest ” behaviour.

The admiral’s flight to the South Pole
halts at the point where taxi ends and speed begins
technical difficulties
the aircraft must be checked.
CINCPAC is brought to the airfield galley
coffee and refreshments supplied
assistance shrouds around him
he must not see the forgotten fuel being added.

For the back story click Backstage