SS Maheno. Pride of the fleet,
Luxurious accomodation, powerful and swift,
Sailing Australia's eastern waters,
And crossing the Tasman Sea.
Later, ferrying wounded soldiers
Throughout First World War,
Then returning to regular service,
New bands, great food, dancing and more.
Maheno then became a victim,
Depression crushed the trade,
No longer the pride of fleet,
Parked silent, boilers drained.
Not rewarded for 30 years service
No bands to cheer her on her way,
Towed away like a reluctant dog,
To be consumed in fiery furnace faraway.
Things moved from bad to worse
Huge seas and cyclonic winds,
Maheno loosed to drift alone
Humbled by the merciless seas
No fuel in the bunkers,
No stokers to kindle flame,
No steerage for direction,
Anchors dropped in vain.
Seventy years on,
Just a humiliated hulk,
Sand filled boilers
An anchor with nothing to hold.
Decks once scene of excitement,
Streamers thrown to friends ashore,
Decks once washed by parting tears,
Now washed by rising tides.
Decks tilted and rotting,
Silent – no bands playing now,
Excitement has found other shores,
Circling gulls mock aloud.
Fine dining, decor supreme,
Now just rusted walls
Caviar replaced with barnacles
Champaign traded for foaming surf.
A greater tragedy confronts,
Those made in God's own image,
Driven by the passions of darkness,
Deceived by forces unseen,
Facing eternal shipwreck,
Powerless to impress eternal God.
God's way to success differs,
Differs from commerce today,
Victory is gained through surrender,
Giving God helm of your life,
Then when traversing the cyclone of death,
He promises to guide you home safe.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SS MAheno was built arouind 1905 in Scotland to sail between Australia and New Zealand. After serving as a hospital ship during the first world war, she was fitted out to a very high standard, but depressed financial times saw the ship mothballed, and then towed for scrap.
Shortly I'll have an illustrated version including pictures of the ship in an MPEG format to play on your computer. If you would like a copy, request a copy and leave your email address in the feedback for this poem, and I'll forward it to you.
Rob.
