S S YONGALA

[Maureen K Clifford]

S S YONGALA … Maureen Clifford © The Scribbly Bark Poet


One hundred and twenty two souls seems were lost
they foundered one wild stormy day
and none on shore knew of the tragedy
as these souls just faded away.
The ocean depths hid her, kept her secret well
as the SS Yongala slipped downwards to hell
and no single survivor was left for to tell
of her story or tell of her wrecking.

She foundered alone up in Cleveland Bay -
sharp rock tore her thin sides asunder
and the crew and the passengers fought for their lives
caught up in a cyclone. With thunder
and raging winds whipping the waves into foam
and up in her rigging all heard the wind moan
she shuddered when her back broke - let out a groan
as her death throes ripped railing and decking.

She travelled from Melbourne to Brisbane that week
and picked up new passengers there
including a race horse and one bright red bull
an inspection declared the ship fair.
She carried no radio so none could tell
that her voyage to Townsville was headed for hell
with a cyclone predicted - strong winds, massive swell.
Yongala had no known way of checking.

She was late into Townsville – not cause for concern
all thought that she had taken shelter,
then the racehorse Moonshine washed up at Gordon Creek
and ‘twas clear he would not run a welter.
Then more wreckage appeared on that coastline so long
from Bowen to Hinchinbrooke. They knew she’d gone
and then some claimed to see her – a ghost ship sail on
across waters and reefs as if trekking.

It was 1911 when all hands were lost
along with a bull and a horse
and forty eight years passed before she was found there
some miles from her suggested course.
And now she’s a wreck and one hundred feet down
she’s crewed now by sweetlip and eels coloured brown
and rays like stealth bombers are clustered around -
they weave through the ribs of her decking.

[alongtimegone]

A story well told Maureen. You write these poems so well.
Wazza

[Catherine Lee]

I agree 100% - very well told Maureen! I think it's always wonderful to put history in verse, because it teaches people about events they might not otherwise know about and helps us to remember them...and as Wazza says, you do this really well!

[Jeff Thorpe]

Good one Maureen. I liked the poem, the story and the rhyming pattern.

Regards, Jeff

[Maureen K Clifford]

WOW - thats high praise people - Thank you so much I actually love writing this type of poem and for exactly the reason you have picked - it is a way of getting our history told in a manner that people may remember and we have a very rich and interesting history to share in almost every nook and cranny of our country.