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Empress Untold
| Open Poetry #12 |
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Empress Untold |
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Meadowmuse Member Elite
since 1999-12-27
Posts 3263 |
Empress UntoldI want to write of childrens' fright, of silent scraping through the night as ship upends into the deep and souls go breathless in their sleep. I want to write of gravebed sea, of sodden sunken misery, but words seem small and unprepared to share the horrors some have shared. I want to write of innocence, of drowning dreams and ship, immense, but what of dreams could words impart when vessel's hull and bow and heart lie barnacled, a corpse below what mind can fathom? None can know. Could a greater miracle take place than for us to look through each other's eyes for an instant?......Henry David Thoreau [This message has been edited by Meadowmuse (edited 02-24-2001).] |
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ATelamon Member
since 2001-02-06
Posts 328Purgatory, Last Staircase, Up |
Another Meadow marvel, no doubt given of the Muse. Well done. AT |
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Kit McCallum
Administrator
Member Laureate
since 2000-04-30
Posts 14774Ontario, Canada |
Lovely rhythm and flow Claire ... I so enjoy the lyrical flow in your poetry, this is just wonderfully descriptive, very nicely done!  Best wishes, /Kit |
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Irish Rose Member Patricius
since 2000-04-06
Posts 10263 |
" I want to write of children's fright, of silent scraping through the night as ship upends into the deep and souls go breathless in their sleep. I want to write of gravebed sea, of sodden sunken misery, but words seem small and unprepared to share the horrors some have shared. I want to write of innocence, of drowning dreams and ship, immense, but what of dreams could words impart when vessel's hull and bow and heart lie barnacled, a corpse below what mind can fathom? None can know." Oh, words can indeed impart dreams, to the innocence lost, to children, to hope, indeed, this touched me deeply. "When red-haired girls scamper like roses over the rain-green grass, and the sun drips honey." Laurie Lee |
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Nate Dogg Senior Member
since 1999-11-15
Posts 1658Georgia, Fulton |
Exellent write...I had to read this a couple of times to truly grasp what you're saying...I undestand now and I love this piece very much....thanks for sharing! Nathan |
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Meadowmuse Member Elite
since 1999-12-27
Posts 3263 |
ATelemon, my thanks. I found myself so sadly captivated by a program on PBS last night about the lost liners of the sea. The Empress of Ireland was one I had known very little about. In May of 1914 she collided with the Norwegian collier Storstad, and went down in the uncharacteristically foggy waters of the St. Lawrence River, outbound from Quebec. It was the middle of the night. The ship sank in just fourteen horror filled minutes. 1,012 people lost their lives. Kit, thank you very much for reading. Kathleen, thank you for your insightful reading. Nathan, thank you for that second read. I'm glad you understand. It is in the telling and remembering and understanding that the memory of The Empress will endure. Claire Could a greater miracle take place than for us to look through each other's eyes for an instant?......Henry David Thoreau |
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Marge Tindal 
since 1999-11-06
Posts 42384Florida's Foreverly Shores |
Claire~ You continue to touch and etch poignancy on our hearts. A real 'think-of-ink' within this piece. ~*Marge*~ ~*The pen of the poet never runs out of ink, as long as we breathe.*~ noles1@totcon.com |
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Poet deVine
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-26
Posts 22612Hurricane Alley |
I hope you are submitting your work either to the main site or to a publisher. You really are a GREAT poet!!! Oh, yes...loved this one! |
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Sven
since 1999-11-23
Posts 14937East Lansing, MI USA |
I thought so. . . I saw that program as well. . . and we think of Titanic as the only great liner to sink. . . superb Claire. . . ---------------------------------------------------- To the world, you may only be one person. But to one person, you may be the world. |
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Voiceless Senior Member
since 2001-02-19
Posts 686Under the stars upon the wind |
I love it! So beautiful! Great Great Great Poem! (did I mention great?) ~*Peachy Be*~ |
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Martie
Moderator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-09-21
Posts 28049California |
Claire--You touch the mood so very well...that I was there before I knew the story you wrote of...beautifully done, as your poetry always is! |
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Denise
Moderator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-08-22
Posts 22648 |
I'd never heard of that one, Claire. Such a tragedy. You've captured the sadness well with your words. |
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Poeminister Senior Member
since 2000-02-26
Posts 1862Regina SK; Canada |
This is sad but very exquisetly captured...excellent writing. Hope things have been well with you, Poeminister o |
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NC Member
since 2001-02-20
Posts 89 |
i saw that show also...a great piece of writing...flowed beautifully |
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Meadowmuse Member Elite
since 1999-12-27
Posts 3263 |
Marge, hi and thanks. Yes, it's a tragedy that deserves all the respect we can give it. Just two years after the Titanic, and folks had just begun to piece their faith and confidence in the great seafaring vessels back together. It was certainly the conclusion of what meagerly remained of an innocent era, I'm afraid, and an event that changed thousands and thousands of lives. There is no way for us to fully grasp the sorrow of that night. Poet deVine, you are most kind. I submitted something to the main site soooo long ago, and I don't know if it was ever even considered. But thanks for the encouraging words. I am talking to publishers. Sven, yes, isn't it odd? But The Titanic, because she was the "grandest" liner, is the one who is remembered most easily and often. Wasn't that a fascinating program? I've found lots of information online about all the fine ships that were covered in the show. Thanks for reading, Sven. Voiceless, okay now, tell me what you REALLY thought about it. Thanks so much for reading and letting me know you enjoyed it. (You DID enjoy it, didn't you?) Martie, thank you. I'm glad the poem was able to convey the mood. Believe me, the story is tragic and so important to remember. This poem is just my way of honoring the event. Thanks again for your gracious response. Denise, thank you so much. If you're interested in learning more, PBS has some information on their website, and a good search engine will provide you with much more. Just an amazing and moving true story. K. thank you! I'm so glad to know you enjoyed my poem. (pssst...go look in "Announcements") Claire Could a greater miracle take place than for us to look through each other's eyes for an instant?......Henry David Thoreau |
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