Poems

by David Bray

You book on a cruise ship with anticipation
of maritime visits to various nations.
Embark, great excitement, you seem to walk miles,
Stateroom all ready, the steward-all smiles.
But before you can settle, a duty of sorts,
An anthem on tannoy of ‘Board of Trade Sports’. 
“All passengers required to attend this induction,
at your own muster station for safety instruction.”
We’re told it’s compulsory under international law,
to listen attentively pretending not bored.
The emergency signals seven shorts, one long,
summons all persons when it all goes wrong.
We don a life jacket and tighten the belt,
so hot in the lounge we’re starting to melt.
Hope never in earnest these procedures to trial,
But the occasional warning proves far from futile.
Herald of Free Enterprise, Costa C,
Reminds us so sharply of the hazards at sea.