The Titanic Cycle
part one: the dream
She stands at the wharf
gazing upwards in
stunned amazement
She's heard the rumors
everybody has about
this new ocean queen
the biggest ever built
the strongest ever built
practically unsinkable
THE RMS TITANIC
Waves gently lap
against her black steel hull
the ship rests while
surveying her birth
Tomorrow brings their
grand adventure
the ocean queen's
and her own
To find a life for herself
to forget the tragedy
that dogged her family
poor weather poor crops
suddwn illnesses that
kill swiftly
Her mother cried when she
decided to immigrate
the life she said
will improve slowly
why risk everything
on an impossible dream
that will leave
her little angel
all alone in America
Even her father cried
the first tears he had
ever shed from caring eyes
that saw his daughter's
first steps across the floor
and witnessed
every joy
and heartbreak in her life
But he gave his blessings
even as the tears leaked
from his tender blue eyes
She had cried too
everything she had came
from these two people
her strength her passion
founded in her parents'
quiet life and big hearts
And the willingness to
break free from the
disasters of their lives
She felt tempted to stay
and be happy with
the people she's known
with their simple values
that makes the village
more like a home
It's everything she's known
but it will change
with the coming dawn
To start all over
to be given the chance
to improve her life
And to perhaps become
one of the middle class
it's worth the gamble
She glances back towards
home saying good-bye
to her difficult past
soon to be buried
in an ocean of time
Part Two: reality
She hardly slept during the night
too keyed up with excitement
and apprehension about leaving
the docks called to her
to come to Titanic's berth
and begin her grand adventure
She watches her follow passengers
for a while seeing their reactions
at the size of this regal lady
who will be their home
for a few days or a week
however long it takes
to make the crossing
She saw their gasps of
stunned amazement
saw their eyes pop
open in sudden surprise
as rich and poor pause
to glance about with
pleased smiles on their faces
She sees the rich and famous
with their servents carrying
their mounds of luggage
and treasures being met
by the stewards who jumped
to cater to their every need
But when she boards a
minor seaman curtly tells
her to go below with
more of her kind
Her dreams fade to a
new reality welcome aboard
but stay in your place
the rich might get upset
to see common folk about
She's still allowed
to walk the main deck
but only in officially appointed
realms aboard the ship
and to use only the stairs
that bypasses first and second classes
She continued to look out
and dream of a brighter future
that perhaps might come true
if the fates are kind
Her room lies in sterrage
down below the main decks
and impressive rooms
down steps with common lights
and cheaply made rugs
with hardly any decorations
The rooms are crowded together
with passengers crammed in tight
but they all have hopes and dreams
to find their pots of gold to
begin again in far off America
less than a week away
Finally the Titanic
blasts its horn in farewell
easily clearing its moorings
the newest ocean queen
hums away into a glorious day
The girl stands silent
in a protected alcove
above the bow watching
the shores of Ireland
fade beyond the horizon
Silent tears creep down
her sad face leaving
has bothered her but
her dream still holds
It will be worth it all
she thinks to herself
as she gently and quietly
turns her back on her past
She mostly stays on the deck
during the next few days
watching the endless ocean
as the ship races across it
to far off America
America she dreams
a new start a fresh day
just hold on for
a few more days
there's plenty of room
for everyone there
and she'll be given her chance
to be someone there
Part Three: Reality
The weather turn chillier
and ice floats in the water
forcing the girl to bundle up
during her nightly walk
around Titanic's massive decks
She hears the band playing
below in the grand loounge
where the rich entertain
themselves like some
petty monarchs in
their little kinglets
the ever present stewards hover
over them instantly blessing
their every want and desire
A strange mixture
of people she thinks
these rich personalities represent
Some cary their wealth
like a comfortable coat
it's nothing to them
While others act as if
they're made out of
their hoarded wealth
worship me for I have money
The immigrants watch
not impressed by their show
because they all know
a man's true wealth is
found inside their soul
She settles on a deck chair
gazing up at the skies
dreaming of her new life
she feels amazed at
the crystal clarity
of the stars floating
inside of their own ocean
The Titanic hums along
not seeming to move
suspended in time
an impressive sight if
someone was watching
Small ice patches float
on the giant's side
then skirt out of the way
like tiny horse flies
bothering a grand champion
No one walks the decks now
and she shivers in the cool night
before long she heads down below
to sleep on her cot
A soft thud wakes her
just noticeable to some
they glance about and
listen for any noise
but failing to hear anything
else they settle back down
The girl decides to get up
some uneasy feeling
refuses to let her relax
maybe some sixth sense
of unknown danger claims
her now has she starts
to climb towards the deck
Below her she notices
the engines no longer hum
the ship rests quietly
no not really rests but
it seems to be holding
its breath at something
As she climbs more peopl start
on the journey upwards
most dazed and confused
as if not sure why
they are climbing the stairs
The girl glances back noting
that most passengers still sleep
perhaps that's within reason
there has been no word
of anything amiss
What can possibly be wrong
on the unsinkable
RMS Titanic
Strange to be up when
it's so late at night
she's tempted to turn around
to seek her bed once more
But a strange sense of dread
burns inside of her soul
urging her upwards
Finally word comes from above
that everyone needs to get
into their lifebelts only as
a precautionary measure
some people turn around
to wake the sleeping
But others on the stairs
begin to climb faster
their faces glancing down
to hide their growing fear
The girl pauses knowing
that she won't have time to
claim her meager possessions
if something really is wrong
It won't really matter
with so many people
luggage wouldn't fit in
the lifeboats aboard
Finally she reaches the boat deck
and sees some lifeboats
already floating away
half-filled with people
She hears that the ship
is sinking strucked by
an iceberg that ripped
her side open in one great hole
She waits while the
mothers and children load
the remaining lifeboats first
She patiently watches the crowd
believing that the children
desrve to have their lives
there will be time later
for her to be rescued
She hears that
she should board a lifeboat
there's not enough of them
to save every soul on board
most will have to stay
and risk going down
with the Titanic
She cries gentle tears
as she witnessesthe rich
gentlemen gathering together
some saying good-bye to
their wives and children
Some wives refuse to leave
their husbands' sides
they gather quietly to one side
listening to the band
They play their songs
easing the passengers' minds
even as they prepare themselves
to meet their own fates
She sighs knowing now
that she won't be rescued
her dreams won't come true
for her new life in America
But maybe one of the children
will receive the good
life she wished for
perhaps her God will be
merciful and take her quickly
She watches the lifeboats
slowly pulling away
and sees the sadden faces
as they glance back
The girl stands among many
each one lost inside
of their private thoughts
as the Titanic slopes upwards
standing poised bweteen
the two oceans of water and sky
The ship slowly groans
as her lights finally fails
a moment of darkness
of frightened screams
and an unidentifiable
groaning from underneath
as the once mighty ship
slowly and surrealisticly
break in two before
she crashes back down
jarring untold passengers
overboard in the icy seas
A piece of funnel
fails slowly towards her
has she fights for balance
striking her head hard
and knocking her overboard
The girl smiles as she looses
consciousness knowing
that at least for her it's over
Paul Vernon Deffendall
December 28, 1997
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