A-VERSE TO DANGER

Writer Alan Hustak discovered this poem in Hilda Slayter’s diary in the Nova Scotia Archives and presented it on the April 2012 Titanic memorial cruise on the liner Balmoral out of Southampton, England. What it lacks in artistry (apparently “conceivement” is a word), it makes up for in personal experience.

Titanic: April 1912

Launched — and just completed, “Titanic.” Pride of man’s achievement?

Fall? Had no conceivement.

Starts maiden voyage across Atlantic

Crash! From ice barriers and iceberg Massive gleaming in the sun.

First class journey begun.

Night fall pales, its bulk with sea mists merge

Fates decree. Challenge Leviathans! Fast spray splashing from the bow. Slow — scarce a ripple now. What the issue? Nature or humans?

Ponderous — inexorable — loomed.

Cut through “Titanic’s” side, left sinking in her pride.

Too late, lookout’s warning. She is doomed.