April 28, 2018
A piece by Srisaravana
Erebus & Terror
Stay for as long as the words ask you to.
begin readingtake a breath · read slowly
Waves were crashing against the mountain’s feet
As the sun faded deep into the horizon’s plate
The time was plunging into the darkness’ right
Clouds and sky were black alike
Eternal spots of starry heaven were all alight
All that was covered in the shadow and mist
Grey spanned meadow and land there was
Withered are all but thick ice and snow
A thousand souls lay buried in the barrow
And red was the color that tainted the sorrow
Moved ahead far beyond one’s limit
So much death and so much pain
All that endured here was in vain
When your assailant has nature’s might
What can you do about such a reckless fate
One by one, the count was gone
There was no hope for the sun’s rebound
When you all tell the story of us
Remind them of the cruelty suffered
Not that of nature, but of the mind of men
Do not fear for the darkness all out
Rage, rage into the night without a doubt
The edge of the night shall fall back again
Far, far away, in the horizon’s end
The new sun shall rise again
This work started as someone stranded at sea – yearning for safe return – then I happened to read about the fate of HMS Erebus and HMS Terror. Their last voyage, known as Franklin’s lost expedition, ended in peril with all hands lost. This inspired me to complete this poem.
May their souls rest in peace.