Though her sister’s more famous by far
Olympic better served the White Star
This big ship stayed afloat
Even sank a U-boat
For her class, she was well above par

Event: Launch of RMS Olympic, sister ship to RMS Titanic
Year: 1910
Learn more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RMS_Olympic

(NOTE: this is for October 13th, not the 12th)

Where on Earth is the center of time?
Where to draw the meridian Prime?
O’er these questions and more
The committee did pore
They chose to follow Greenwich’s chime

Event: Prime meridian officially established as passing through Greenwich, England
Year: 1884
Learn more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Meridian_Conference

“Like love, this drug’s use should be free!”
Argued men like Timothy Leary
Long-term studies did find
It could disturb the mind
So the government banned LSD

Cleveland’s Indians received much praise
In the Series, thought they’d New York daze
Victor Wertz hit a blast
It went far, almost past
The outstretched glove of one Willie Mays

The man called the USA’s first spy
Nathan Hale did the British defy
Said his only regret
Was they’d but one life get
In a speech he gave ‘fore he did die

Seeking to improve his fine collection
Young Charles did a thorough inspection
Of samples he got piles
From Galapagos’ isles
All in all, a most nat’ral selection

To explore space, the final frontier
They set out on a mission, five-year
Where no man’d been before
They would go there, and more
It began with a Thursday premiere

They once traveled in flocks a mile wide
No one thought their numbers could subside
Soon there were all too few
In an Ohio zoo
Martha, the passenger pigeon, died

For Ike, ’twas not a priority
But the French’d not go on ’til ’twas free
The tanks kept changing route
But could not be kept out
And the Nazis surrendered Paris

(NOTE: the final word of the final line should be read “Paree,” the way it is pronounced by speakers of French and pretentious speakers of English. “Route” may be pronounced however you wish, so long as it rhymes with “out.”)

Gazing up, past the realm of balloons
Asaph Hall saw a sight to cause swoons
“Look at these, way up here!
We’ll call this Dread, this Fear”
Before then, they weren’t sure Mars had moons