The Convergence of the Twain

(Lines on the loss of the "Titanic")
                [Thomas Hardy (1912?)^]

I
1             In a solitude of the sea
2             Deep from human vanity,
3     And the Pride of Life that planned her, stilly couches she.

II

4             Steel chambers, late the pyres
5             Of her salamandrine fires,
6     Cold currents thrid, and turn to rhythmic tidal lyres.

III

7             Over the mirrors meant
8             To glass the opulent
9     The sea-worm crawls -- grotesque, slimed, dumb, indifferent.

IV

10           Jewels in joy designed
11           To ravish the sensuous mind
12   Lie lightless, all their sparkles bleared and black and blind.

V

13           Dim moon-eyed fishes near
14           Gaze at the gilded gear
15   And query: "What does this vaingloriousness down here?" ...

VI

16           Well: while was fashioning
17           This creature of cleaving wing,
18   The Immanent Will that stirs and urges everything

VII

19           Prepared a sinister mate
20           For her -- so gaily great --
21   A Shape of Ice, for the time far and dissociate.

VIII

22           And as the smart ship grew
23           In stature, grace, and hue,
24   In shadowy silent distance grew the Iceberg too.

IX

25           Alien they seemed to be;
26           No mortal eye could see
27   The intimate welding of their later history,

X

28           Or sign that they were bent
29           By paths coincident
30   On being anon twin halves of one august event,

XI

31           Till the Spinner of the Years
32           Said "Now!" And each one hears,
33   And consummation comes, and jars two hemispheres.

NOTES

1.
The Titanic luxury sea-liner sank after colliding with an
iceberg on April 15, 1912, during its maiden voyage from 
Southampton to New York, with a loss of 1500 of some 2200
on board.

6.
thrid: thread.