Ghosts - The Sighting Off Western Australian Coast Poem by Paul Warren

The day started as just a day like any other
The trip was on glassy sea with no bother
As the sun rose that morning from the sea
With sun beams bright as they could be
They were fishing off the West Australian coast
In an eerie half-light with a Summery boast

Then on the horizon they saw a smoke stack
As a grey ship came to view they saw it would steam back
Until it became apparent that it was on a zig zag course pattern
When it passed to port close enough to see its hatches were battened
And it put my binoculars to the bridge and saw the captain look back
The expression on his face showed no recognition of fact

As the ship of war steamed onto the horizon then
The last we saw of the ship we could not comprehend
We finished our catch and steamed back to port
With the ship I saw that day I gave no more thought

Until one day on the morning television news I was surprised
About a World War 2 ship lost that was now found after a dive
A German commerce raider the SS Kormoran had sunk her
And I recognised the HMAS Sydney as the ship I had seen for sure.

© Paul Warren Poetry