Notes #1

Sea Fever - John Masefield

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 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 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's "Sea Fever" is an artistically crafted poem that expresses the beauty of the ocean through its use of rhythm and figurative language. The meter in "Sea Fever" follows the movement of the ship by the portrayal of iambs and hard hitting spondees. The varied meter follows the actions of the “tall ship” through the high seas and strong winds. The personification and metaphors go beyond the meter to depict a deep desire for the sea. There are metaphors within the poem, but the whole poem is a metaphor in itself. It is comparing life to a sea voyage which amplifies the diction and overall significance of the poem.