All poems on this site are copyright of Beverley Balogh
My first cruise was in 1976 onboard the P&O ship Canberra.
She become famous for transporting troops to the Falkland Islands in 1982. She was also one of the first passenger ships to feature an all white hull.
Designers decided that having an all white hull would keep ships cooler in warmer climates. Previously most cruise ships had the lower half of their hulls painted either black or navy. Cunard ships to this day still have the lower part of the hull painted black. Modern day cruise ships tend to look more like huge floating hotel buildings and have lost that look of sleekness that the smaller older cruise ships had.
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Beverley
SWAN SHIPS
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Have you sailed the world
on a ship as white as snow
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As it glided through the water
like a swan in graceful flow
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Did you see stretched out behind her
like a road where she had been
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The churned up foaming waters
a sparkling turquoise green
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Have you stood beside the railings
and gazed out across the sea
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Did it make you feel insignificant
like it always does to me
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Whilst floating on top of the oceans
did you think of what was below
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The thousands of life forms
as on your way you'd go
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It's really a great way to travel
this cruising across the seas
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You can visit exotic places and
in some drop in for tea
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The chance to taste new cultures
really is quite unique
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And when you return the ship is waiting
looking snow white trim and sleek.