Sea Fever
BY 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 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.

'Whiskey Drinking Girl'
The mystery is the mystery.
My mind is aching.
Lord it won't stop.
Whiskey drinking girl
About to drive me insane.

Dang NAP2614. I was thinking I might be a poet and you go and give Louis L'amour. Makes me feel small.

Dear bjdbest – Beverly
I found a poem by Cornelia Brinkman written in the Dutch University city of Leiden, on April 15th 1949
Dutch cruncher adriverhoef
translated it beautifully and with great care into English and happened to use the green and blue colors of the sea
You will find links to the fairy tale translated into Dutch and English.
Below the poem you will find links to the original four illustrations by Vilhelm Pedersen never to have been surpassed in my opinion.
I look forward to you and me going real life/virtual travelling again – no high heels, tho’ – invisibility cloak optional.
Where do you want to go, Beverly? Back to Budapest? Back to Almere? Back to Israel? Somewhere new?
I'll go anywhere with you

Dit gedicht heeft betrekking op het beroemde sprookje 'De kleine zeemeermin' (1836) van Hans Christian Andersen.
This poem refers to the famous fairy tale 'The Little Mermaid' (1836) by Hans Christian Andersen.


DE KLEINE ZEEMEERMIN, AAN DE ZEEHEKS
THE LITTLE MERMAID, AT THE SEA WITCH

Serpentische beulin, die mij tempteerde,
Malicious woman tyrant, who tempted me,
gij tergziek hart, dat bersten moest van spijt
thou sorrowful heart, that had to burst from regret
om eigen gruwzaamheid, en groen van nijd
for its own gruesomeness, and green with envy
mijn jeugd en schoonheid te verdoen begeerde-:
craved to squander my youth and beauty-:
wel liet uw alsem in mijn bloed zijn sporen,
so your bitterness has left its tracks in my blood,
wel proef ik uur aan uur nog uw venijn,
so I still taste your venom hour by hour,
wanneer mijn voeten, uit uw list geboren,
when my feet, born out of thy deception,
op zwaarden gaan, in radeloze pijn;
are going on swords, in desperate pain;
wel schrei ik spraakloos, in doorwaakte nachten,
so I'll weep without speech, in wakeful nights,
omdat geen tong mijn ziel kan doen verstaan,
because no tongue can make understand my soul,
daar 'k u, als prijs voor uwe duivelsmachten,
because I, as a price for thy devil's powers,
mijn stem moest geven voor dit aards bestaan;
had to give thee my voice to this earth's existence;
wèl zingt gíj nu (voor kwallen en poliepen)
yet now thou singest (for jellyfish and polyps)
en oogst gij lauwren in uw stinkend hol,
and reapest thou laurels in thy stinking cave,
terwijl mijn hunkeringen die mij herwaarts riepen,
while my cravings that called me backwards hither,
verstikken moeten in dit hart, zo vol -
must choke in this heart, so full -
maar nimmer zal uw kwelzucht triomferen:
but never thy torment will triumph:
uw bloedrood mes werp ik versmaad in zee;
scorned I will throw your blood-red knife into the sea;
mijn prins zal leven, zingen en begeren,
my prince shall live, sing and desire
en als een schuimbubbel zing ik lachend mee.
and like a foam bubble I will sing along, laughing.


Illustration 1
Illustration 2
Illustration 3
Illustration 4

Turn again to life

If I should die, and leave you here awhile
Be not like others sore undone, who keep
Long vigils by the silent dust and weep.
For my sake, turn again to life, and smile,
Nerving thy heart and trembling hand to do
Something to comfort weaker hearts than thine.
Complete these dear unfinished tasks of mine,
And I, perchance, may therein comfort you!

Mary Lee Hall