He heard about it first from the TV,
The ship had gone down: God, don’t let it be!
A few survivors; he sat watching dazed,
A vicar’s son among them – God be praised!
He told his wife, for joy the couple cried,
Then said a prayer for all those who had died.
The angels watched over our son: said she.
The Lord above is merciful: said he.
An hour later, knocking at their door
There stood, grim-faced, a sergeant of the law,
I have some terrible news, sir: he said,
Your son is one of seven hundred dead.
The vicar said: You have been misinformed,
Our son survived the sinking and the storm.
I’m afraid not: the sergeant said, still grim:
The vicar’s son they mentioned wasn’t him.
The vicar turned to his wife in a daze:
My dear, God moves in mysterious ways.
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