Text of the Poem

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.

Footnotes

  1. This would be a cheerful story or tale.

    — Allegra Keys, Owl Eyes Editor

  2. A simile is a direct comparison using "like" or "as": “Where the wind’s like a whetted knife” compares the wind to a sharp knife, conveying its cutting coldness and intensity.

    — Allegra Keys, Owl Eyes Editor

  3. "Blown spume" (frothy waves) evokes the force and energy of the sea, while the "sea-gulls crying" adds an auditory dimension, capturing the lively, sometimes chaotic environment.

    — Allegra Keys, Owl Eyes Editor

  4. The sea and its elements are often personified: "The call of the running tide" is described as a "wild call and a clear call," giving the tide human-like qualities, as if it has a voice that cannot be ignored.

    — Allegra Keys, Owl Eyes Editor

  5. This line describes the sensory experiences of sailing: the "wheel's kick" (the motion felt when steering the ship), the "wind's song" (the sound of the wind as it moves), and the "white sail’s shaking" (the sight and sound of the sails flapping in the wind).

    — Allegra Keys, Owl Eyes Editor

  6. The poem uses anaphora by starting multiple lines with the phrase “And all I ask is…” This creates a sense of urgency and insistence, emphasizing the speaker’s strong desire and simple needs for life at sea.

    — Allegra Keys, Owl Eyes Editor