I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by;
And the wheel’s kick and the wind’s song and the white sail’s shaking,
And a grey mist on the sea’s face, and a grey dawn breaking.
I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
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 way 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 trick’s over.
—John Masefield
“Sea Fever”
As one who lives by the sea and loves it, I find this poem really lovely and touching. It made my day.
Yes. And yes.
This is a beautiful setting:
It’s hard to give that poem the appropriate degree of seriousness when as a child you hear this one first:
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/i-must-go-down-to-the-sea-again/
I must go down to the sea again,
to the lonely sea and the sky;
I left my shoes and socks there –
I wonder if they’re dry?
Spike Milligan
Parody is the second highly compliment. Parody by Spike Milligan is the first.
But I think I’m feel vaguely sad and existential. Plus, I am (slowly) listening to a 30 hour reading of Moby Dick. And I am feeling very cut off from the real world.