Survivor Poem by Robert Sheridan

Violet Constance Jessop of London
Born in ‘don’t cry for me’ Argentina
To Irish emigrants – Wm. & Katherine
Left after her father died, was sheep dipped
Returned to Britain – served with the Mail Line.

With her grey-blue eyes & auburn hair
Went to work for the White Star Line
First served as a stewardess on the Olympia
First disaster – was struck by the HMS Hawke
She was in her cabin brushing her teeth – oh my!

Was then persuaded by friends to join the Titanic
So, Violet, ‘dressed in a new ankle-length suit’
Was taken by a horse-drawn cab to the ill-fated ship
It was sitting in her ‘birth’ at the docks of Southampton
Would soon meet her death in the form of an iceberg.

Carried by Violet was a translated Hebrew prayer
A strangely worded prayer – was suppose to protect her
against water and fire, but just in case, wore her rosary
Again, was brushing her teeth when the collision occurred
As Violet got into a lifeboat, she was handed a bundle.

After eight hours the survivors were picked-up by the Carpathia
She was still clutching the bundle – a baby, when a woman leaped
at her, grabbed the baby, and never said thank you;
Violet later served on the Britannic when it was sunk by a U-boat
in the Aegean – again, she was in her cabin brushing her teeth.

She retired; had one last disaster – her marriage
Began receiving phone calls on stormy nights
It was the baby she had rescued – called to thank her
Strange thing though, that phone never worked
Violet was later laid to rest – no more disasters.

‘2008’