TRUE STORY - GHOST SHIP
Dedicated to George Hay
CX.
By way of brief introduction, this is my account of a story oft-related by my late beloved;- a phenomenon he experienced while on assignment toward the end of WWII, to deliver supplies to a remote destination in China, by way of the Yangtze River, carefully steering his LST 1013, of which he'd only recently been given command, through its sometimes treacherous waters.
The story has tumbled around in my mind for years. Today it haunted me till it tumbled out as I began writing a poem so unlike my usual . . .
This is the result. Judge both the tale and the telling for yourself. . .
1.
Darkened Phantom Ship
Creeps stealthily along
Tangled, misty banks
Of the Yangtze,
A lonely stretch
Somewhere south of
Nowhere,
Off-course of destination;
Until its hulk,
As quickly as it came,
Is swallowed by shrouding fog
To sink into thick, unnamed oblivion
Beyond the known
Recall - again.
2.
While ‘cross the water
In captain's conn
Of another ship, a well-lit LST,
A residue of of awed dark dread
Has draped, descended
O’er deserted decks,
To now invade, pervade,
Engulf a huddled crew
In murky afterimage,
Whose tentacles cling to
The valiant heart
Of Captain Hay,
Shimmering mystery to haunt a lifetime
Evermore.
______© Nellieanna H. Hay
5-2-12
An LST on China Sea
- George's Ship 1
My webpage series honoring George's WWII U.S.Navy experience (though it omits this ghost ship episode, which has awaited this special moment to be revealed) .
I'd love to hear some opinions about this episode. Would you share yours below?
