Attribution: Gus Pasquarella
Image: The Hindenberg engulfed in flames (here)
Sunday Whirl Wordle #161
Below, 8 out of the 10 words given:
alabaster altitude chaos disaster
force graphic people plastic
Uneventful Trans-Atlantic crossing
Safely from Germany onto American soil
But about to descend slowly prior to landing
Lakehurst was subject to bad weather turmoil
Massive alabaster-like and airborne
At an altitude in throes of stormy weather
Force of winds in varied directions
Made landing a delicate manoeuver
Shifting of some hydrogen gas and water
Were made into specific compartments
Amid chaos but part of stabilizing measures
Effected to maintain a proper balance
But all it took a spark to court disaster
Plastic-like a graphic tragedy unleashed
Showering ignited debris of light structure
Thirty-five of people on that day perished
For Brenda's hosting at Sunday Whirl
Every time I see images of or hear about the Hindenburg disaster I tell myself I need to go read up in it... This piece, again, woke that yearning. As far as I'm concerned this balances between painting a vivid picture to the reader and inspiring to find out more about a historically important event. Great job!
ReplyDeleteThis finally put to an end to Airship travel. Travelling so slowly and in such luxury it appeared so safe. However even walking has its risks!
ReplyDeleteA good idea that worked on paper but had a few (fatal) flaws in real life.
ReplyDeleteWritten with much reverence Hank..
ReplyDeleteEverything has a way of getting you in the end, some more than others.
ReplyDeletemay god bless those souls
ReplyDeleteGuess I'm strange, but the part that catches me is the next-to-last stanza. Never knew, or even considered, that. Water ballast? So the big ships were more than bags of gas: flying them was complex. Cool.
ReplyDeletea spark is often all it takes to turn something spectacular into a disaster,
ReplyDeletebut also it works the other way...smiles.
An accomplished re-telling of this tragic story. Bravo.
ReplyDeleteA single misstep and all can be lost
ReplyDeleteYou described it better than any official account, that's for sure!
ReplyDeleteTragedy, described in your special way! Good writing!
ReplyDeleteA tragic story very well told here, Hank.
ReplyDeletePamela
Tragedies seem to invite us to retell them, and you've retold the Hindenburg disaster in poetic form!
ReplyDeleteEXCELLENT!! It only takes a spark.
ReplyDeleteSo well done. Yes, the Hindenburg was a real disaster. Photo here was quite powerful.
ReplyDelete