A Christmas In Halifax

Come visit us under pink tinged twilight skies.. among boughs borne under a song laden tree. In fair view of land, meadows green coiling rise, one hundred twenty counted souls, and me. The older children play, running in sun washed petticoats, hair pulled back in pigtails & ribbons, an untied shoelace floats. Their errant hoops gone tumbling over a dew covered hill, wonder if sun refused to shine, and not mourning them still. How resplendent a vessel, White Star's ship of dreams, carried their passion as coal fed fired boiler steams. Only to sink 'neath the waves, irony in iron age.. On maiden voyage Ides of April, warned her last writ page. To the new world go mother, father, sisters and brothers, prayers spent all would reach safety of harbor's bustling dock. America's shores promised in the letters of others... went as sheep to the shearer in Reaper's growing flock. To third class cabin dimlit, down three flights of stairs, their mortal passage payed so high a forlorned cost. Waiting their turn for grace, their last supper's prayers, scrape of ice., gaping ocean roared, in darkness lost. God bore them one and all 'way from the tortured deep, to cold windswept mount where saints and survivors weep. "Nothing in my hands I bring, simply to Thy cross I cling"