LESSON 9 SEA FEVER

SEA FEVER

This poem was written by John Masefield, the present Poet Laureate. He is always fond of writing about ships and wanderers.

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 [1] , and the wind's song, and the white sails shaking;

And the grey mist on the sea's face, and a grey dawn breaking.

THE WHEEL'S KICK, AND THE WIND'S SONG, AND THE WHITE SAILS SHAKING

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 [2] , and the seagulls crying.

I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant [3] gipsy life;

To the gull's way and the whale's way, where the wind's like a whetted [4] knife;

And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,

And a quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick' [5] sover.

—JOHN MASEFIELD

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[1] wheel's kick: The violent movement of the steering gear.

[2] spume: Foam, froth.

[3] vagrant: Wandering without any settled purpose.

[4] whetted: Sharpened,

[5] trick: Here "trick" means the time allotted to a man to stand at the helm, generally two hours.