← Table of contents
Rookie rhymes, by the men of the 1st and 2nd provisional training regiments, Plattsburg, New York

Part 1 — STANDING IN LINE

Reading edition

When I applied for Plattsburg I stood for hours in line To get a piece of paper which they said I had to sign; When I had signed I stood in line (and my, that line was slow!) And asked them what to do with it; they said they didn't know. And when I came to Plattsburg I had to stand in line, To get a Requisition, from five o'clock till nine; I stood in line till night for the Captain to endorse it; But the Q. M. had one leggin' left; I used it for a corset. We stand in line for hours to get an issue for the squad; We stand in line for hours and hours to use the cleaning-rod; And hours and hours and hours and hours to sign the roll for pay; And walk for miles in double files on Inoculation day. Oh, Heaven is a happy place, its streets are passing fair, And when they start to call the roll up yonder I'll be there; But when they start to call that roll I certainly will resign If some Reserve Archangel tries to make me stand in line.

Little rookies in line with giant sergeants
Little rookies in line with giant sergeants
Explore with AITake your curiosity a little further.

Reading settings