Oh, a sailor hasn’t much to brag —
An oilskin suit and a dunnage bag.
But, howsoever humble he be,
By the Living God, he has the sea!
The long, white leagues and the foam of it,
And the heart to make a home of it,
On a ship that kicks up waves behind
Through the blazing days and tempests blind.
Oh, a sailor hasn’t much to love —
But he has the huge, blue sky above
The everlasting waves around,
That wash with an eternal sound.
So bury me, when I come to die,
Where the full-sailed, heeling clippers ply;
Give up the last cold body of me,
To the only home that I have — the sea!
(Harry Kemp)
More Poetry from Harry Kemp:
Harry Kemp Poems based on Topics: God, Home, Eternity- The Chantey Of The Cook (dithyramb of a discontented crew) (Harry Kemp Poems)
- The Doldrums (A Still-Life Picture) (Harry Kemp Poems)
- Good-Bye! (a chantey to be sung at the capstan) (Harry Kemp Poems)
- A Whaler's Confession (Harry Kemp Poems)
- The Remedy (Harry Kemp Poems)
- Clipper Days (a song from Snug Harbor) (Harry Kemp Poems)
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