Showing posts with label saltwater ballads. Show all posts
Showing posts with label saltwater ballads. Show all posts

Thursday, February 09, 2012

Beginning to feel homesick (or should that be sea sick?)

All my own work
Poster of the Charles W Morgan (a whaling ship) at Mystic Seaport.
I took the photo and the poster resides in my bathroom*

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.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
*Though the photo was taken while it was propped up on the back of the sofa, so I could get a long enough focus on it.