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S.S.England

Peter Goulding

Wednesday, June 30th, 2004

1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 The S.S.England, badly holed,
Sailed slowly into port.
Upon the heaving waves she rolled,
The shell-shocked crew distraught.

2 Leave a comment on verse 2 0 And as the harbour wall appeared,
To strident exclamations,
The waiting crowd all clapped and cheered
Sincere commiserations.

3 Leave a comment on verse 3 0 The admiral, with egg-shaped head,
Described the crew as plucky.
Unlucky to be hit, he said,
So desperately unlucky.

4 Leave a comment on verse 4 0 The captain held his head up high,
Dismissing any shame,
And in a loud voice did decry
The man who was to blame.

5 Leave a comment on verse 5 0 No post-mortem need be held,
No need to call a coroner.
The dying ship’s last breath expelled
The name of Johnny Foreigner.

6 Leave a comment on verse 6 0 Once again, brave Englishmen
Did not get their reward.
They fired a strident broadside, then
The press went overboard.

© Peter Goulding 30th June 2004

Source: http://footballpoets.org/poems/s-s-england/