Sea Fever

[Buddy]

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 gray mist on the sea's face, and a gray 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

[thelerner]

Going somewhere?

 

M.

[freeform]

And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by,

 

certainly very masculine - tall 'ship' and a guiding star - bearing in mind that men tend to navigate in relation to prominent landmarks and women tend to navigate by noticing patterns in the land...

 

Hawaiian men used to navigate by the stars, whilst the women tended to lie on the boat feeling the intricate flows/waves/tides beneath the ship to navigate... interesting how women feel downwards and men look upwards (oh by the way I lied that men did one and women the other they both did both - but women were more renowned for navigation by feeling the currents and the men more renowned for recognising the celestial bodies).

 

care to elaborate, Buddy?

[Buddy]

You'll have to take it up with the late poet. I heard it as a very beautiful song. I live next to the sea and it's a very very strong image. I can smell the ocean even now.