Titanic - A 100th Anniversary Commemorative Poem

(In memory of those lost in the North Atlantic Ocean on the 15th April 1912)

She sunk upon a moonless night,
After sending her distress plea,
When an iceberg on starboard side
Struck the hull and let in the sea.

When cry went up, lower away,
And lifeboats were eased to the sea;
All on and off knew come what may,
Acts of love outlive tragedy.

Not all made it back to safe shore,
Many perished in the chill sea;
We call them now as were before,
We call ships dead by name to be.

We call them all home, one by one,
Back to the lands they briefly left,
We count them back as roll is done;
Home ye come, from waters bereft.

Home ye come, that sailed away,
Ye that voyaged for a new start,
Come ye back on this April day,
And port you here the long apart.

We call you from the liners heart,
In Southampton, Cherbourg and Cobh;
We raise your name, the long apart;
Though you are far, though you still rove;

All will live on, live beyond years,
All aboard that found an ocean grave;
Though new waters dilute old tears,
They move all on with each long wave.

Beneath the ice sea rest the brave,
Though the wrecks remnants shift and toss,
And flowers are thrown to the wave,
For a hundred years pass of loss. 

Declan O'Reilly