Best Titanic Poems
The Titanic set sail from Queens Town in Cork
on her maiden voyage to the city of New York.
Its sinking cost lives that they couldn't save
now those poor souls lie in a watery grave.
Written 27th July 2020
For four lines poetry contest
Sponsored by Constance La France.
They hailed her as the empress of the waves
Supreme upon the ocean’s vast domain,
Yet those who watched her launch, and bid ‘Godspeed’,
Could never have foreseen her fleeting reign.
She left Southampton heading for New York;
The sky above was somewhat overcast.
Such hopes and dreams were riding on her bow,
But this first voyage proved to be her last.
The pinnacle of luxury and ease
Awaited wealthy passengers on board,
Whilst crystal chandeliers to music swayed,
A toast to life was raised and champagne poured.
On lower decks the entertainment lacked
Yet children made the most of little space.
Locked heavy gates were purposed to divide
And keep the third-class steerage in their place.
But when disaster struck the glacial path
And frozen waters threatened souls of men,
Proud opulence and rank would count as naught;
Humanity was equal once again.
25/03/19
Titanic - Fare Thee Well Poetry Contest
Sponsor : Tom Woody
'2019 Poetry Marathon Mile 27' : sponsored by Mark Toney
A Noteworthy Ship Poetry Contest : sponsored by Robert James Liguori
On a fine April day, set out in the great cruise ship, Titanic,
Into the pelagic waters of Atlantic, with the weather alluringly sweet.
Plush it was with beaming fellow travelers and amenities astounding.
A journey of great excitement under a star-studded sky at night.
With the crew so hospitable, there was overwhelming warmth and conviviality.
Wine and liquor flowed down through gullets; tasty cuisines were served.
On the deck couples and lovers waltzed, a sweet breeze kissing their cheeks.
But tragedy loomed large in the form of an iceberg, unobserved.
I sat away from the crowd enjoying the rising gaiety.
What was the deafening sound I heard from near?
With a violent shake, the huge leviathan turned to one side.
Hardly knew what was happening, but sensed death was not far.
Hit hard n' ripped into two pieces, the vessel began sinking into the waters.
Amid euphonic melody and revelry, some didn’t know what was happening.
Some in panic ran helter skelter with growls and groans renting the air.
A man gave away his lifeboat to a mother and child, his own life abandoning.
It was a moment I witnessed the beauty of selfless love.
I was inspired to give away my lifeboat that I secured by chance.
A divine spark hit me, and all anxieties vanished instantly.
Sudden was the transmutation, I saw the whole scene in a new stance.
Heaven’s fire was lit in my breast and in love, my spirit began to glow,
How great it is to give life to someone who needed it more.
I heard the angel’s voices flit, saw a new door opening wide.
Had a fleeting vision of the heavenly hall with aureate roof and glazed floor.
I knew all my agony depart and hope instantly sparking.
With God on my side, I felt sinking into the icy depth,
My mind was calm with an unusual courage filling my every nerve,
And my horizon growing bigger and enlarging into uncommon width.
My inaudible parting words were “Goodbye Titanic, fare thee well,
In the oceanic depths, you stay as a symbol of world’s fleeting glory,
Making men think that fate can shatter and pulverize human hubris.
In the sunless Atlantic lair, lie down ageless to tell your allegorical story"!
With a lump in my throat, I thought "Is this it"
I never thought I would go down with the ship
As I floated in the sea with my life jacket on
I thought to myself "Soon- my life will be gone"
Some last-minute thoughts...
had rushed through my head!
A note, I must write...before I am dead
Drenched...
Written in my mind,
I blew it to the moon with the mist from my breath...
Sealing it with a kiss!
~My family, my friends, my dear wife...
I thank you all for being part of my life~
I love you, all... so much!!
Six children I've raised, beautiful- indeed
Helped my friends, when they were in need
Made peace 'round the neighborhood
Tried my best to always be good
I've had my ups and downs for sure
(As I laughed to myself)
"I've never had a "down" as this extreme, before"
Floating...
Watching the beautiful dark sky
Watching the countless amount of giant stars
Listening to the romantic sounds of the calm open water
Slowly, I closed my eyes...
And that was the last thing I remember
So many nights; still, I cry
Why wasn't I... one of the unlucky to die?
Today I am about to embark on a journey
that I have waited for, for so long,
they say that this one is the safest ship
were nothing could ever go wrong.
As I stare down at the crowd, I think,
here I am, traveling on the R.M.S. Titanic,
this is the most exciting day of my life
and yet I feel a sense of anxiety and panic.
I calm myself by breathing in April's fresh air
and the sea's waves begin to roll and rock,
I close my eyes and feel the warm sunshine
as the ship finally departs from the dock.
Even though I'm not a first class passenger
I admire the grandeur of the White Star Line,
my few luxuries and the kindness shown to me
are enough to warm this heart of mine.
For Carolyn Devonshire's Past Lives Contest
I'm very interested in learning about the Titanic, but sometimes when I look at a
picture of the ship, I get this tremendous feeling of dread and fear. So much so,
that I cannot look at the photo any longer. I don't know where my fear of this
ship comes from. I have never been on a cruise or had any kind of traumatic
experience on a ship. Sometimes, I think that I may have been on the Titanic
in my past life. I don't know if I would have survived or not.
I stood alone on the ship's deck all afternoon
just to watch the sun sinking low on the sea,
the Atlantic ocean is so calm this evening
but, that old feeling of dread still bothers me.
I slowly exhale to calm myself once again
and my breath comes out in a white mist,
the air is slowly turning cold and frigid now
as the night's darkness pulls me into it's own abyss.
There is nothing that I can see out there now
except clear-white burgs of ice in the distance,
another odd feeling hits me that I cannot deny
but, how could ice play a role in my existence?
The sun's rising on April 15th will warm me
and I will escape this feeling of an early fate,
my entire body shudders for the very last time
as the sounds of breaking ice and bending iron reverberate.
This poem was inspired by Paul Callus, who suggested that a sequel
to my poem, "Aboard The Titanic", might make for an interesting read.
My father had been out of work for way too long.
At night, I often heard him and mom weep
Food was scant, but love was strong.
As was that hunger pain when I lay to sleep.
My little brother was too young to understand.
Still a babe in arms, he brought our only smiles.
I loved to play with him and hold his tiny hand.
It seemed to take away the hurt from life trials.
Then, one-day dad came home all excited.
He was talking so fast, grinning from ear to ear.
He said that our future was well fated.
That we were in for adventure was clear.
It was that new ocean liner, the Titanic.
Dad had been hired for the maiden voyage.
We were going along as his sidekick.
A family destined for American homage.
In just five days we boarded that ship.
Immigrating was a dream come true.
Accommodations would be a hardship.
But it was worth opportunities…new.
Dad worked as a scullion in the restaurant.
We were housed on the lower deck.
It was a very crowded lodgment.
We stayed together until the shipwreck.
Sirens were screeching people screaming.
We could not find dad anywhere.
Was he locked up as a cageling?
Could it be true; was he trapped down there?
Lifeboats were being lowered.
Mom held my brother, crying.
Dad must be somewhere cloistered.
We all feared a dreadful dying.
Someone put me in a lifeboat.
I reached for mom as it descended.
The Titanic was still afloat.
But my family separated.
The water was freezing.
I had forgotten my coat.
People crying, sniffling, and sneezing.
The lifeboat soon became an iceboat.
Within a few hours, death began.
Shivering, I crawled beneath two corpses.
A young girl destined to live without her clan.
Hidden from polar breezes.
That was the last time I saw my mother.
My mind holds the image clearly.
She, calling for dad, was cuddling brother.
Oh, how I loved my family dearly.
When rescuers finally arrived.
I was the only one alive in the lifeboat.
Beneath those bodies, I survived.
Then, I was wrapped in a warm coat.
I never did see America.
I was sent to an orphanage back home.
Life had dealt a great trauma.
Forever had sunken in the ocean's foam.
© April 9, 2012
Dane Ann Smith-Johnsen
Written for Poetry Soup Member Contest: My heart will go on and on.... Free Poetry
Sponsor Tracie ~*~ Indigo Dreamweaver
Collisions avalanche, beneath the icy
Waves, of the North Atlantic.
Birthed in the cradled of Belfast,
A maritime giant, became crimsoned,
By champions shattered tradition,
An ironic omen presence to come.
For she bares tragedy’s mark, the name
Given to this colossus, the titanic.
An aquatic diamond gem, of ocean
Liners, refined and polished for the
Privileged elite.
A jewel shinning, with a brilliance fire,
No vessel could rival, this grand ladies,
Opulence.
The unsinkable legend survives even,
From under the brimey fathoms depths.
In the whispering wind echoes, carried
Just above the foam and sprays watery
Crest, a haunting refrain is spoken,
Ice burg dead ahead.
A sheer ice blade, is driven into the
Hulls breast plate, puncturing the maid
On her maiden voyage.
Death's fiddler plays an eerie tune,
As the screaming chorus sings,
Dooms lullaby, of remorseful regrets,
Of the living dead.
Abandon ship, women and children
First, but life’s greed proceeds protocol,
And man take seats reserved while
Others are simply left empty.
A once shinning star, is broken now
In two, rivaling in pain, she the
Grand lady, shutters, grasping for
Some hold, but fates evil hand
Pulls her beneath the frozen
Angry sea.
To rest at the bottom of titan's
Kingdom, in a crept mausoleum of
Seaweed, and coral debris.
Yet the Titanic still remains the
Diamond jewel of the seven seas,
Her mystery's beauty, a mystic
Inspiring mankind to solve
The questions that remain,
Unanswered.
BY: CHERYL ANNA DUNN
HISTORICAL
The finest ship of the White Star Line,
Titanic majestically sailed the brine
A floating palace of opulence
A thing of beauty and elegance
But beauty is but a fragile veneer
And conceals a truth more austere
Into the depths Europe’s poor, are thrust
Travelling in steerage like human ballast
The iceberg cut her stem to stern
But at first no one showed concern
Except the poor below the waterline
Where it quickly filled with Icy brine
“Only God himself could sink her”
It was claimed by an unknown author
The Titanic promoted by J. Bruce Ismay
Quickly sank to his utter dismay
Bowing to the mighty ocean
Relentless is her pull,
Into the blue depths
'Til she's good and full
Ice took it's first shot
As steady we ran right in,
Sailing along so freely
As a whale on his fin
Crashing, just scraping by
Then onto a dead stop,
I write this letter now
While I sit safe atop
The iron walls creak
The frigid waters seep,
Tilting the floorboards and
The last tears I weep
A message in a bottle
Dropped into the blue,
Do pardon my absence...
I shall not be joining you.
A stranger on a distant shore
Sailing, a tall tower along the
trembles, of an open sea
I look and see with vision and
wonder, where my destiny partakes
A traveler of a vessel, in the distance
glory
I jump, I leap, breathing in the salty
air
Wind flowing gently along my face
Embraced with laughter, we gather
to dance and sing
The night chilled air brings a sense
of melancholy
An echantment of sorts disturbes
the embarkment, of my sense of
security
A stillness falls into my heart,as it
starts to beat faster
An essence of sadness emanates
withen my soul
I look up at the nights sky seeing
spirit take flight
I look to others
We breathe together
We embrace each other as we cry
We all fly to the heavens golden
glory
Under the darkened sea
Taryn Thompson email
[email protected]
Indigenous your home
Incomprensible
Indestructable ship
Indecisive captain
Interrupted this trip
Impression of safety
Indelible losses
TITANIC
The seawater around my ankles is so cold
Who’d have thought in this final moment
That when my time is near, I’d be smiling
Well, it is more of an ironic grin, perhaps
Damn those tea leaves, they kind of knew
I just scoffed – back then, but not now
As the deck lurches again, and I stumble
Some muffled creaking sounds from above
Who would be in any doubt that we’re lost
I guess the North Atlantic claims another
And all that I have to record my thoughts
Is a fountain pen and a pile of wet paper
Back in my cabin that’s somewhere nearby
My unfinished novel, what inspiration now
None will ever read it or remember me
Some forgotten prospective author, huh
The cold water is now lapping at my waist
I have nowhere to go, except … down
These last few years have been tolerable
But my New York debut will have to wait
Probably a very long time. Ghost writers.
I could have made it in the land of dreams
Leaving the damp fog of London behind
There are none nearby who will listen
Except that one face down over there
But now the last lights have gone out
It’s dark now, so all I have is my thoughts
And this damned water making me float
As my head now bumps on the ceiling
What a voyage this was, clearly to oblivion
So there is no-one to say goodbye to
Except the fish, when they investigate
So long and all the best - better than me
I’ll see Davy Jones when I check in soon
Just thoughts, eh. I expected to do better
The massive ship and hopes were lost
No lifeboats left for passengers
Their lips were blue, skin bit by frost
The massive ship and hopes were lost
Atlantic Ocean not yet crossed
The radar failed, no messengers
The massive ship and hopes were lost
No lifeboats left for passengers
*Written August 28, 2014 for Sara's "Zeugma" contest
'Twas claimed Titanic was unsinkable.
To think otherwise was unthinkable!
Alas, she met her fate,
Because she swerved too late!
Tangling with ice cubes proved it sinkable!
Robert L. Hinshaw, CMSgt, USAF, Retired