(原版)澳大利亚语文第六册 LESSON 9
LESSON 9 SEA FEVER
SEA FEVER
This poem was written by John Masefield, the present Poet Laureate. He is always fond of writing about ships and wanderers.
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 [1] , and the wind's song, and the white sails shaking;
And the grey mist on the sea's face, and a grey dawn breaking.
THE WHEEL'S KICK, AND THE WIND'S SONG, AND THE WHITE SAILS SHAKING
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 [2] , and the seagulls crying.
I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant [3] gipsy life;
To the gull's way and the whale's way, where the wind's like a whetted [4] knife;
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,
And a quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick' [5] sover.
—JOHN MASEFIELD
* * *
[1] wheel's kick: The violent movement of the steering gear.
[2] spume: Foam, froth.
[3] vagrant: Wandering without any settled purpose.
[4] whetted: Sharpened,
[5] trick: Here "trick" means the time allotted to a man to stand at the helm, generally two hours.
