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If you’ve ever been captivated by the mysteries ships took to their watery graves, you’ll enjoy «The Lament of the Sunken Ship» by Fizza Abbas.

Following are two samples from the book:

R.M.S. Carpathia

We often remember the Titanic’s heroes and victims, but forget the ship that answered its call.
R.M.S. Carpathia braved ice-laced waters to rescue survivors from one of history’s most iconic tragedies. She became a symbol of mercy and courage.

But four years later, Carpathia met her own silent end — torpedoed by a German U-boat in World War I. This poem is her voice.

A forgotten savior speaking one last time before slipping beneath the waves.

***

Remember me?
You know me as the hero of Titanic—
I rescued countless passengers,
ferried them safely to shore.
As I pulled them from lifeboats,
I never imagined that, four years later,
I’d face the same fate,
calling Mayday to save my own.

I was content, sailing toward Liverpool,
the sea restless,

but nothing new.
I knew it would settle,
yield to my steady course.
It felt like a beautiful journey—
passengers dancing, drinking, laughing,
the crew basking in the rhythm of the waves,
sailing the eccentric me.

Little did we know,
we were breathing our last air of joy—
our last air of anything.

A German U-boat found me,
sent three torpedoes tearing through my hull.
My passengers perished.
And I, too, sank into the abyss.

~~

R.M.S. Rhone

RMS Rhone was a British Royal Mail Ship that sank off the coast of Salt Island in 1867 during a sudden hurricane. Over 120 souls were lost.

Today, she rests beneath the Caribbean, one of the most famous shipwreck dive sites in the world.

I wrote this poem imagining what it means for something once proud and moving to find peace not in motion, but in memory — and in the gaze of those who still come to see her.

***

On my way to the Caribbean,
I met a powerful hurricane,
the strong winds
broke the sunny spells,
scattered showers of rain
put me to bed.
It was a long night,
I remember
dreamt all night long
but didn’t
wake up ever
to live that dream,
123 people also slept
with me.

Now when I see the divers exploring me,
I smile for them
and get back to bed again
to continue dreaming.

What are people saying?

I found this book very engaging and relatable, as I imagined ships that bore witness to their destruction, ships that questioned why, and ships that asked to be remembered. I highly recommend this book if you ever wondered about sunken wrecks from the viewpoint of the ships that once sailed.
–– Anonymous

~~

What an absolutely unique collection of poetry! Two things strike me the most. First is the small factoid regarding each ship and how it sank, preceding the poems themselves. The second is the unique way each poem is told from the perspective of the ship itself. While this doesn’t make any of these tragedies, of which there are many, less tragic, it gives them a living voice and softens the blow just a little. Altogether, this is a very well thought-out and very emotional collection of poetry!
— Ken Tomaro, poet laureate of the Cleveland sewer system

~~

What if shipwrecks could speak? This haunting poetry collection gives voice to vessels lost at sea, from the Titanic to forgotten warships, turning their silence into lyrical stories of memory, betrayal, and longing.
— Victor D. Olubodun

To purchase or download for free, go to:
https://fizzawrites.gumroad.com/l/lamentofthesunkenships