In the course of moving, I discovered an old piece of poetry of mine. Figured I'd share. Some of you might remember another international incident that caught the world's attention before 9/11...
SAVE THE KURSK
Deep beneath the Barents' swells
Lies the Russian Navy's coffin.
Lies, the Russian Navy tells
And prays the waves will soften.
Be it missile, sub or boulder the vessel struck upon
Or any human error that steered the Kursk to wrong
The greatest wrong the Russian Navy ever could have done
Was sit and wait and see another rising of the sun
And hear the message fading from the dying lonely ones...
TING-TING-TING! TONG! TONG! TONG! TING-TING-TING!
TING-TING-TING! TONG! TONG! TONG! TING-TING-TING!
Of rescuers and coroners, who would get there first?
All held fast the dimming hope that they might save the Kursk.
Days long gone before they'd asked for help from other nations
And with each hour dawned a second dreadful revelation:
Even rusted iron curtains couldn't stay the world's sight
From the drowning state of flagging Mother Russia's naval might...
TING-TING-TING! TONG! TONG! TONG! TING-TING-TING!
TING-TING-TING! TONG! TONG! TONG! TING-TING-TING!
Throughout the Russian Navy, officials feared the worst.
Yet due to pride they left inside the dying men of Kursk.
Somewhere far beneath the frothing anger of the sea,
Dank and cold and wet, still, the sailors sing to me
A tune of taps and prayers and words that few would ever hear
Yet I today can feel them steady ringing in my ear --
The frightened metal pulse forever sounding strong and clear:
TING-TING-TING! TONG! TONG! TONG! TING-TING-TING!
TING-TING-TING! TONG! TONG! TONG! TING-TING-TING!
Cries of S.O.S. asking why they had been cursed
Begging, pleading, "Why, oh why did no one save the Kursk?!"
Deep beneath the Barents' cold
Lies the Russian Navy's coffin.
Tales the Russian Navy told
Praying memory will soften.
Deep beneath the Barents' swells
Lies the Russian Navy's coffin.
Lies, the Russian Navy tells
And prays the waves will soften.
Be it missile, sub or boulder the vessel struck upon
Or any human error that steered the Kursk to wrong
The greatest wrong the Russian Navy ever could have done
Was sit and wait and see another rising of the sun
And hear the message fading from the dying lonely ones...
TING-TING-TING! TONG! TONG! TONG! TING-TING-TING!
TING-TING-TING! TONG! TONG! TONG! TING-TING-TING!
Of rescuers and coroners, who would get there first?
All held fast the dimming hope that they might save the Kursk.
Days long gone before they'd asked for help from other nations
And with each hour dawned a second dreadful revelation:
Even rusted iron curtains couldn't stay the world's sight
From the drowning state of flagging Mother Russia's naval might...
TING-TING-TING! TONG! TONG! TONG! TING-TING-TING!
TING-TING-TING! TONG! TONG! TONG! TING-TING-TING!
Throughout the Russian Navy, officials feared the worst.
Yet due to pride they left inside the dying men of Kursk.
Somewhere far beneath the frothing anger of the sea,
Dank and cold and wet, still, the sailors sing to me
A tune of taps and prayers and words that few would ever hear
Yet I today can feel them steady ringing in my ear --
The frightened metal pulse forever sounding strong and clear:
TING-TING-TING! TONG! TONG! TONG! TING-TING-TING!
TING-TING-TING! TONG! TONG! TONG! TING-TING-TING!
Cries of S.O.S. asking why they had been cursed
Begging, pleading, "Why, oh why did no one save the Kursk?!"
Deep beneath the Barents' cold
Lies the Russian Navy's coffin.
Tales the Russian Navy told
Praying memory will soften.
