Life — January 24, 1918 — page 7: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "The Ghost Ships" Analysis This page presents a wartime satirical piece, likely from World War I based on the naval references. "The Ghost Ships" poem by McLandburgh Wilson describes German naval threats—a "German mariner" and "lawless pirate" haunted by vengeance and the ghosts of ships he's destroyed. The accompanying illustrations depict: 1. **Left**: A mysterious woman by the shore, observing warships—"The Woman Who Understands Him" 2. **Right**: An interior scene where someone explains acquiring something sinister—"The Hun I Got It From Had No More Use for It" The satire appears to mock German naval warfare and U-boat tactics while depicting civilians' anxieties about maritime threats. The illustrations suggest espionage or black-market dealings related to the naval conflict, though specific historical references remain somewhat unclear without additional context.