Few songs and poems were composed about the Empress in the aftermath of her sinking. Perhaps by the time song-writers got around to the tragedy in the St. Lawrence, a greater tragedy was already unfolding in Europe. In the interest of preserving a few pieces of history, we have resurrected a local Quebec song dealing with the ship. The English translations is below the French.
COMPLAINTE DE L'EMPRESS
Le Saint-Laurent à l'onde enchanteresse
Suivait son cours lent et majestueux
L'Empress filait diminuant sa vitesse
Car le brouillard enveloppait les cieux
Sur ce vaisseau qui portait tout un monde
Chacun dormait ignorant le danger.
Un cri soudain vint de la nuit profonde
Debout, debout car l'Empress va couler. (bis)
Un charbonnier a frappé le navire
Semant la mort par un grand trou béant.
Les passagers pleurant dans leur délire
Cherchaient partout leurs amis, leurs parents
Ils s'élancaient dans les vagues perfides
Tout affolés, le corps à moitié nu.
En un instant, dans l'élément liquide
Horreur, horreur l'Empress est disparu. (bis)
Il entraînait dans les eaux du grand fleuve
Ses occupants hier contents, joyeux,
Mais aujourd'hui les orphelins, les veuves
Sentent couler les larmes de leurs yeux
L'Empress brisa par la mort les familles
Ce souvenir doit rester dans leurs coeurs
Peuple habitant les campagnes ou les villes
Prions, prions pour eux le Rédempteur. (bis)
Le fond du fleuve est aujourd'hui leur tombe
Dernier sommeil précédent le Grand Jour.
Mais aujourd'hui un devoir nous incombe
Aux affligés if faut porter secours
Pour adoucir leur peine et leur misère
A pleine main, donnons, donnons pour eux
La charité suivre notre prière
Donnons, donnons pour tous ces malheureux. (bis)
melody: Minuit, Chrétiens
EMPRESS LAMENT
The St. Lawrence weaves an enchanting spell
As it follows its slow and majestic course.
The Empress has eased off her speed
'Cause fog was clouding the skies that night.
Aboard this ship is a whole world unto itself
Where everyone sleeps on, unaware that danger lurks.
A sudden cry splits the darkness--
"Get up! Get up!"--for the Empress is going to sink.
A lowly collier has struck the majestic ship,
Spreading death through a great gaping wound.
Passengers cry out in shock,
Looking for friends, for parents.
They throw themselves into the treacherous waves,
Panic-stricken, only half-dressed.
In an instant, under the dark roiling water,
Horror! Horror!--the Empress disappears.
She has taken them down into the great river's depths,
The happy and laughing souls of yesterday.
And today the orphans and widows
Face their future with tear-stained faces.
The Empress has ripped apart families through death
Leaving memories that will remain forever in their hearts,
Those of us in the countryside as well as the towns--
Pray, let us pray for them, O Redeemer.
The river bottom today is their tomb
Where they will sleep 'til Judgment Day.
But now a duty falls on us:
To the afflicted, we must bring help
And relieve their sorrow and suffering.
With open hearts, let us give, let us give to them,
And may charity follow our prayer,
Give, let us give for all these unfortunates.
--free translation by Derek Grout