I Must Go Down to the Sea

I think humankind has to go into space.

I Must Go Down to the Sea -


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

Call me Ishmael. Some years ago - never mind how long precisely - having little or no money in my purse, and nothing particular to interest me on shore, I thought I would sail about a little and see the watery part of the world. It is a way I have of driving off the spleen, and regulating the circulation. Whenever I find myself growing grim about the mouth; whenever it is a damp, drizzly November in my soul; whenever I find myself involuntarily pausing before coffin warehouses, and bringing up the rear of every funeral I meet; and especially whenever my hypos get such an upper hand of me, that it requires a strong moral principle to prevent me from deliberately stepping into the street, and methodically knocking people's hats off - then, I account it high time to get to sea as soon as I can. This is my substitute for pistol and ball. With a philosophical flourish Cato throws himself upon his sword; I quietly take to the ship. There is nothing surprising in this. If they but knew it, almost all men in their degree, some time or other, cherish very nearly the same feelings towards the ocean with me.

:)

I find myself "knocking people's hats off" all too often.

Thanks for the thread, Swede.:thumbsup:

And the poem makes me feel the same way about space and
time........ any time you talk about space
you have to include Einstein's time into it now to make it real



A very nice analysis about the poem......

Analysis of John Mansfield's Poem "Sea Fever"

John Masefield's poem "Sea Fever" is a work of art that brings beauty to the English language through its use of rhythm, imagery and many complex figures of speech. The meter in "Sea Fever" follows the movement of the tall ship in rough water through its use of iambs and hard hitting spondees. Although written primarily in iambic meter, the meter in "Sea Fever" varies throughout the poem. The imagery in "Sea Fever" suggests an adventurous ocean that appeals to all five senses. Along with an adventurous ocean, "Sea Fever" also sets a mood of freedom through imagery of traveling gypsies. Perhaps, the most complex part of this poem is the use of personification and metaphor. These figures of speech go beyond the meter and imagery to compare life to a sea voyage and portray a strong longing for the sea. The two main themes of "Sea Fever" bring the reader closer to the sea and help the reader understand why the speaker must return to the sea. "Sea Fever" not only depicts a strong longing for the sea through its theme, but also through use of complex figures of speech, imagery, and meter.



"Sea Fever" is an excellent example of varied meter which follows the actions of a tall ship through high seas and strong wind. Lines one and two contain the common iambic meter found throughout the poem. "Sea Fever" may be categorized as a sea chantey due to its iambic meter and natural rhythm which gives it a song like quality. This song like quality is created through the use of iambic meter and alliteration. For example, lines three and ten contain the repeated consonant sound of the letter "w".



In line three, the meter becomes spondaic through the use of strongly stressed syllables. These spondees suggest the repeated slapping of waves against the bow of the ship. As a result, John Masefield creates an image of powerful ocean swells. In addition to the meter suggesting the repeated slap of the waves, "the wheel's kick" is a reference to the ship's steering wheel spinning out of control. To further support the theory of the waves slapping against the bow, "The wheels kick" suggests that the tall ship is traversing very storm seas. Through the combining of iambic and spondaic meter, "Sea Fever" not only gains a magnificent rhythm, but gives clues into the location and movement of the tall ship.



Perhaps, the most striking characteristic of "Sea Fever" is the remarkable imagery seen on each line throughout the poem. Images of a "gray mist" and a "gray dawn breaking" bring the poem to life by appealing to the senses. The powerful images bring the reader to the ocean and help the reader understand the strong longing the speaker has for the sea. Through the use of descriptive adjectives, the effectiveness of Masefield's imagery is increased. Specifically, words such as "whetted" and "flung" help create a realistic picture of the sea. Images of a "wild call" and a "clear call that may not be denied" describe a longing that is shared between the speaker and the ocean. Finally, images of a "lonely sea" and a "vagrant gypsy life" bring a mood of freedom and independence to the poem. Through the use of vivid descriptions and strong images of the sea, Masefield helps the reader to understand why the speaker must return to the sea.


I like this guy's thoughts on the poem..

Link............ .http://www.echeat.com/essay.php?t=29172

:toast:

you and John Masefield triggered an intense episode of Wanderlust.
I'm a long way from The Sea, and have way too much to do.

K&R

see it on the boards, and my hope is that many will take the seasoned insight of your intent and Masefield's beautiful language and keep them both very close.

Recommended.