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.
