A Ship to Remember

Hammers. Timbers. Iron. Steel.

They're laying down a mighty keel.

As ant-like workers scurry round

I hear a truly riveting sound.

And as she rises midst the swarm

I see the beauty of her form.

(He has no soul who cannot see

How I am forced to call her "she".)

And then, 'a sudden, she's a ship!

She waltzes down that mighty slip.

Then, in the water, no splash, mind,

This lady floats. Oh! How refined!

Southampton docks: I want to feel,

And touch, and taste the British steel!

Palatial, and stately too.

(There was no like in Xanadu.)

The passengers, the crew, all we

Are safe aboard, so out to sea.

The cheers, the midget well-wish fleet,

That siren deck beneath my feet!

A jewelled city, in the night,

From shame, the very stars took flight.

Her mighty speed seemed but a creep,

So steady that she seemed asleep.

Indeed the city slept. A few

Remained awake, they mostly crew,

To feed the rav'nous boilers' maw,

To bake the bread, sort mail, and more.

I almost dozed and wished my bed,

But:

"Iceberg!", "Iceberg! Dead ahead!"

With straining engines, spinning wheel,

She strove to swerve her awesome keel

And almost, almost, but, not quite --

A straining shrieking rent the night

And rent her hull. (I took no fright.)

'Twas but a glancing blow", I think,

She will not, cannot, must not sink!

But down below the decks, unseen:

In sneaks the ocean cold and keen.

And as up each steel wall it grows

It reaches top, and overflows.

Boats are lowered. Ah! Sad few.

"Women and babes first!", shout the crew.

A panicked man, in dressing-gown:

"My God! My God! She's going down!"

"Nearer my God, to thee how near".

The band plays on, to calm the fear.

"You've done your duty, lads, now go."

But does the music stop? Oh no.

A fervent prayer to He who saves

As down she slips beneath the waves.

The silence!

Then those dreadful screams.

(I sometimes hear them in my dreams.)

Next morn, upon that sorrowed billow

A wreath, a chair, a toy, a pillow.

No souls, the souls are all asleep.

I stand in silent prayer, and weep.

Patrick Lockerby - March 2005

Born 1946, London, England.
Grammar-school educated.
Retired engineer.

Interests:
Anything at all to do with language & linguistics, esp. -- poetry, prose; natural language processing; control and communication in human systems; law, lies, logic.

---

The Exit Poems [Iron and Fire & No Heroes]

The Exit Poems [And Socrates]Iron and FireIron can be... Read More

The Crusader: A Search for the Virtue Inside (an excerpt of an Epic Poem)

On through the darkness she searches the bones Seeking the... Read More

Uamaks Aquatic [suspense: now in Spanish and English]

Delicately, my mind was selecting a muffled tune, out of... Read More

A Ship to Remember

Hammers. Timbers. Iron. Steel.They're laying down a mighty keel.As ant-like... Read More

Banana Republic

Like a cat I slumber, blissfully unencumbered, Through eighty per... Read More

The Valley Of Pain

We were exiled from the Garden of Eden. Its... Read More

Farewell to Lester Graybill

I never met a man, who could shake my hand,... Read More

THe Monster Mash, A Graveyard SMASH (short story I wrote when I was 11)

The Monster Mash The Graveyard SmashHave you heard of the... Read More

Satirical Poetry About Tony Blair

All Hail.Is your hospital full of aliens, despite new cleaning... Read More

Two Poems and an Analysis [?Witness,? & ?An Old Love?]

Two Poems and an Analysis ['Witness,' & 'An Old Love']WitnessMy... Read More

Lord Byrons She Walks in Beauty

Lord Byron's opening couplet to "She Walks In Beauty" is... Read More

Ode To Quetzalcoatal [Now in Spanish and English]

Ode to QuetzalcóatlQuetzalcóatl the GreatNo one knew his true name,... Read More

Three Poems: Dona Leonors Revenge; The Old Moon; Common Sides [All in Spanish/all in English]

1) Doña Leonor's Revenge [1627 AD]Rafael Ortiz's fate Was... Read More

Black Blood, in Jeremiahs Vines - A Poem and an Article

Black Blood, in Jeremiah's Vines [A Dream Poem]And I heard... Read More

Mechanical Poetry

Do you ever stare at the paper, waiting for poetic... Read More

Two Poems: San Jeronimo Brook & [in English and Spanish]

Fair Andes! Thy arms reach highOf iron-woven solid stone Thu... Read More

Three Poems (While in Transition/English and Spanish)

Here are three more poems by the author, Dennis Siluk,... Read More

Four Poems: Grendels Nature...the Racetrack...Counting days...[Now in English and Spanish]

English Version1) Grendel's DivorceYou must know that I do not... Read More

Three Love Poems [all wicked]

Advance: Mr. Dennis Siluk's poetry can have its fire-hearted twists:... Read More

Robert Burns Love Poem: A Red, Red Rose

Robert Burns, a poor man, an educated man, and a... Read More

Song of the Great Zimbabwe, and Silver and Inca Blood [Poems and notes]

"Song of the Great Zimbabwe"Across the African, winter's skyIn the... Read More

Asha of Darfur [A poem with a commentary by the author]

Asha of DarfurCry, cry-oh little Darfur woman For your sister... Read More

The Lull of Twilight [Over Mantaro Valley] In English and Spanish

Twilight, was now beginning. As forthe sun, it was down-down... Read More

Grandpas House & From Iraq with Love [Two Poems]

Grandpa's House [The ole Real House]The house needed painting Sun-blistered... Read More

Tsunami -a Poem Dedicated To Help Aid and Awareness and Encourage Future Harmony. Make Peace Not War

Real Power.One Tsunami, and all our armies, Seem belittled by... Read More

The Last King of Mars [A Poetic Mytho]

[As Told by the Last] King: it was in the... Read More

Learn About Love From Poet Rumi

Learn about love by reading poetry by a long dead... Read More

Joined

JOINEDHeart beat of man pounding - yet unheard joined... Read More

Five Poems from Home [And a view on the planet vs. the poet]

Five Poems from Home1) Remembering: Dorothy Parker [Dedicated to the... Read More

Ode, to the Mighty Midget Omac [In English and Spanish]

Part One Midget HistoryI am thirty-six inches tall, that is... Read More

The Merchant of Copan [In English and Spanish]

English VersionThe Merchant of Copan [480 AD]Advance: The ballgame at... Read More

A Dose of Laughter

I'm not well. Can't you tell? Kinda low, so,... Read More

Publishing Your Poetry

If you are serious about seeing your work published by... Read More