Seafaring / Sailing and Inspirational Poetry

[Don1500]

Since I am still in the pre-seafaring stage of my quest for a boat I have decided to use my blog to bring together a sampling of 18th and 19th century poetry. Basically on a seafaring theme but inspirational poetry will be there also. I also plan to post links to books (in PDF form) that touch on the sailing and nautical theme. Some book that will be linked are "The Voyage of the Destroyer", "The Voyage of the Liberdade", and "Sailing Alone Around the World". I also have links to "Ashley's Book of Knots" and "Bowditch on Navigation". All free and in PDF format.

Any links or poetry you may think appropriate will be welcome.

The Roaming Nomad Blog

[S/V Alchemy]

Well, you'd have to include Masefield. I've heard this at every sailor's memorial I've ever attended.

"Sea-Fever"

I must 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.

By John Masefield (1878-1967).
(English Poet Laureate, 1930-1967.) and Matthew Arnold's Dover Beach:

THE sea is calm to-night, The tide is full, the moon lies fair

• upon the straits; -- on the French coast the light Gleams and is gone; the cliffs of England stand, Glimmering and vast, out in the tranquil bay. Come to the window, sweet is the night-air! Only, from the long line of spray Where the sea meets the moon-blanch'd land, Listen! you hear the grating roar Of pebbles which the waves draw back, and fling, At their return, up the high strand, Begin, and cease, and then again begin, With tremulous cadence slow, and bring The eternal note of sadness in.
  Sophocles long ago Heard it on the Aegean, and it brought Into his mind the turbid ebb and flow Of human misery; we Find also in the sound a thought, Hearing it by this distant northern sea. The sea of faith Was once, too, at the full, and round earth's shore Lay like the folds of a bright girdle furl'd. But now I only hear Its melancholy, long, withdrawing roar, Retreating, to the breath Of the night-wind, down the vast edges drear And naked shingles of the world.
  Ah, love, let us be true To one another! for the world which seems To lie before us like a land of dreams, So various, so beautiful, so new, Hath really neither joy, nor love, nor light, Nor certitude, nor peace, nor help for pain; And we are here as on a darkling plain Swept with confused alarms of struggle and flight, Where ignorant armies clash by night. Matthew Arnold

and the "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" (Poets' Corner - Samuel Taylor Coleridge - Rime of the Ancient Mariner) too long to post here!

and many daysailers might like Dana's "The Pleasure Boat":

Poets' Corner - Richard Henry Dana - Selected Works

Or you can scavenge freely my similarly themed, if seldom updated, blog:

volumesofsalt.blogspot.com

[Don1500]

"Sea Feaver" was the first post.
"The Pleasure Boat" and "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" are also there.
Along with "Invictus". Not nautical but many boats are named after this poem.

The Roaming Nomad Blog

Take a look. I only started this on Sunday. I want to find hidden gems, too. Poems that are not found that easily.

[wingNwing]

Lots of books that are in the public domain date from the golden age of sailing: Nautical

[Hudson Force]

I would add An American Sailor's Treasury by Frank Shay as an excellent resource with much of the poetic content within sea songs and chanteys.

[Don1500]

Originally Posted by CaptForce

I would add An American Sailor's Treasury by Frank Shay as an excellent resource with much of the poetic content within sea songs and chanteys.

Do you have a link to a (free) PDF version? That's what this blog is about. An Open Source Library. I am looking for books and poetry in the public domain. The excerpts I saw were good.

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by Don1500

Do you have a link to a (free) PDF version? That's what this blog is about. An Open Source Library. I am looking for books and poetry in the public domain. The excerpts I saw were good.

It has a 1948 copyright and a 1991 edition. All I have is the hard copy on my shelf. Maybe someone will find an online route,- it's a gem!