The Titanic

 

The platers plated, the caulkers caulked.
The shipwrights sawed, the designers talked,
The drillers drilled and the catch boy caught,
The riveters riveted and the draughtsmen thought,
The joiners joined, the plumbers plumbed,
The painters painted till hands were numbed,
The black squad hammered all day down below
knocking out shores, blow by blow.
Then the moment of freedom, Lord Pirrie gave the sign
The lever was pulled, she moved down the incline.
No bottle was smashed, no prayer to God
'Bless this ship and all aboard'.
As thousands watched the wondrous ship
Gracefully move down the greasy slip.
While far away a frozen mass
Was setting out on its fateful path
And all the 'Ifs' in the world were wasted breath,
for the moving finger had written 'Death'.
And the armchair admirals would pontificate
about the owners, no lifeboats and rescue too late
And Captain Smith not slowing down
and the steerage passengers left to drown.
And the rich man who got away
And the poor third class ,just left to pray
And the brave musicians who played to the last
As the ship went down, their honour held fast.
The Titanic, the ship of Dreams
Turned the night to nightmarish scenes.
So we should remember as we make our safe trips
They that go down to the sea in ships.