John Masefield Sea Quotations

I must down to the sea again, for the call of the running tide / Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied.

Man with his burning soul Has but an hour of breath To build a ship of Truth In which his soul may sail- Sail on the sea of death. For death takes toll Of beauty, courage, youth, Of all but Truth.

I must go down to the sea again For the call of the running tide It's a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied.

On the long dusty ribbon of the long city street, The pageant of life is passing me on multitudinous feet, With a word here of the hills, and a song there of the sea And-the great movement changes-the pageant passes me.

When the last sea is sailed and last shallow charted, When the last field is reaped and the last harvest stored, When the last fire is out and the last guest departed Grant the last prayer that I pray, Be good to me, O Lord.

All I ask is a tall ship and a star to sail her by.

I must go down to the sea again, to the lonely sea and the sky; and all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by.