| I must go downwardly to the seas once more, to the solitary body of water and the sky,
And all I inquire is a tall send and a star to steer her by,
And the wheel'southward kicking and the wind's song and the white sail'due south shaking,
And a grey mist on the body of water'due south confront, and a greyness dawn breaking. I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild telephone call and a articulate call that may not be denied;
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flight,
And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying. I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull's way and the whale's style where the wind's like a whetted knife;
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover
And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long fox's over. This verse form is in the public domain.  John Masefield (1878-1967) was an English language poet, writer, and playwright. Both his parents died while he was a kid, and at the historic period of xiii, annoyed with John'southward "addiction" to reading, the aunt in charge of caring for him sent him off to train for a life as a crewman. Although his experiences at sea provided much material for the stories and poems he would later write, John soon tired of that harsh life and, on a voyage to New York, he jumped transport. For two years, he worked at odd jobs in that city, using his free time for reading and writing. He eventually returned to England, married, had two children, and established himself as a significant literary talent. As his stature every bit a writer connected to grow, John became an internationally successful lecturer and was appointed as England'southward poet laureate, a position he held for nearly twoscore years. He actively wrote and published until he was 88 years old.
| | | jwylde:
By chance, I came beyond the first ii lines of this verse form and sort of recognized it. Then I realized that I had learned the "Mad Magazine"(rip)version of it and had never seen the original until now.
Posted xi/23/2021 07:56 PM packman:
I beloved this poem. I had to recite it at a school show when I was in fifth grade in Brooklyn's PS 225 in Brighton Beach. I would always go down to the beach surface area to sit on the rock jetties between the "trophy" This was the beginning of WW2 and I remember the oil slicks resulting on the beaches from the U boat attacks on the shipping out of New York City.
Posted 05/28/2021 01:20 PM Arlngton6:
I learned this poem equally a small child in the 1950?s. I went to parochial school and was so fortunate to be taught by nuns who valued verse. My family loved the sea and my mother believed the ocean was the cure for almost everything! My brother passed abroad as a retired rear admiral in US Navy.
Posted 10/22/2020 ten:25 AM deecob:
Takes me dorsum over 60 years and reminds me of a wonderfully mad Welshman who taught me the appreciation of fine poetry, English hunting songs and the beauty of the English language. David C.
Posted 02/21/2020 09:53 PM tomcasson@yahoo.com:
My Mother used to relate this poem, when I was a child and it does bring back those childhood memories!!
Posted 07/25/2018 04:35 PM Michelle:
This reminds me of my dad. He was in the navy, and loved the body of water, the body of water always seemed to be his princess. The beautiful , and black stories he would tell me, giving his princess respect at all times. I honey this poem, thank you Jayne for adding it today !
Posted 02/24/2011 02:31 PM dotief@comcast.net:
When my husband was into sailing and we had sailboats, I ever felt those get-go two lines well-nigh a "tall ship and a star to steer her past..." Sheer magic!
Posted 02/24/2011 09:21 AM Buckner14:
Thanks for posting this . . . I hadn't revisited information technology in years and information technology's good to see how fine it is--sharp images, rollicking rhythm, vivid diction.
Posted 02/24/2011 08:02 AM | | | |
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