Verses

Chapter 19: IN A BOAT

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About This Book

A varied collection of short poems mixing lyric meditation, satire, and balladry. The pieces range from war-tinged reflections and political commentary to convivial drinking songs, devotional verses, and playful dedications to friends and children. Many poems evoke rural and urban scenes with brisk, conversational diction, while others adopt formal stanzaic shapes for narrative effects. Themes include memory, faith, social critique, nature, and companionship, with tone shifting between humor and solemnity. The sequence alternates concise epigrams and longer narrative pieces, united by a rhythmic clarity and a direct, energetic voice that balances spontaneity with careful craft.

IN A BOAT

Lady! Lady!

Upon Heaven-height,

Above the harsh morning

In the mere light.

Above the spindrift

And above the snow,

Where no seas tumble,

And no winds blow.

The twisting tides,

And the perilous sands

Upon all sides

Are in your holy hands.

The wind harries

And the cold kills;

But I see your chapel

Over far hills.

My body is frozen,

My soul is afraid:

Stretch out your hands to me,

Mother and maid.

Mother of Christ,

And Mother of me,

Save me alive

From the howl of the sea.

If you will Mother me

Till I grow old,

I will hang in your chapel

A ship of pure gold.