Thomas Hardy: The Convergence of the Twain

When I first read this poem, I did not notice the tiny writing under the title which states: "Lines on the loss of the 'Titanic.'" So, as I was reading this poem, I was trying to figure out what it was about and it reminded me of the Titanic because of its use of the words "ship" and "Iceberg." Now I feel a tad stupid because I didn't read the writing before, but it also gives me confidence in the author because I was able to figure this out in the end. I love how each verse builds upon the last. Some of the verses are describing the ship, but if read out of context seem to be describing something entirely different. In Verse III I liked the contrast between the words "mirrors," "glass," and "opulent" and the image of  "The sea-worms crawling - grotesque, slimed, dumb, indifferent."
Knowing the story of the Titanic before helps to gain a better understanding of the symbolism in this poem as well.Overall, I really enjoyed this poem and it also reminded me of the research project currently going on around the Titanic. Here is a link to some of the newest footage of the ship wreck:

http://www.cinenema.com/titanic-expedition-shows-off-crisp-new-images

And here are some pictures for your viewing pleasure: