Fair Winds and a Following Sea

This was written many years ago for lost sailors so my apology to all of you.
I think these words would apply to all of us in this rather exclusive fraternity of brothers in arms, so if you would but indulge an old sailor a few words to my departed brothers from all branches of the military.

May the road rise up to meet you, may the wind ever be at your back,
May you find old friends waiting to greet you, there on the outside track.
We're gathered together old times to remember, 'tis but for ourselves we would grieve,
So we'll sing you a chorus and bid you farewell - fair winds and a following sea.

We'll sing of 'The Leaf' and 'The Parting Glass', we'll raise up our voices in song,
No sadness today for those who have passed, we celebrate with a voices glad and strong.
A catch in the throat, a tear in the eye, but no funeral dirge will this be,
We'll roar 'Auld Lang Syne' as a victory song - fair winds and a following sea.

And those of us left here will miss a true friend, who shared with us good times and bad,
Raising a glass to your memory we'll say: “We've known you – why should we be sad?”
We honor a life that was lived to the full, we honor a spirit, now free.
You'll long be remembered, whenever we say: “Fair winds and a following sea!”