Charlie Ipcar aka Charley Noble
I was born in mid-coast Maine back in 1942, growing up on a working dairy farm. My parents, former New York City residents, always loved folksongs, and there was many a song party at the house with our neighbors and the folks from across the cove. My brother and I used to sneak out of bed late at night and listen to what they were singing from the stairwell. What we heard were old ballads, music hall songs, sea shanties, lumberjack songs, cowboy songs, and drinking songs. Quite an earful!
When I hit college in 1960 I formed my first folk singing group, learned to play the 5-string banjo, and after four years barely managed to get good enough grades to be accepted to graduate school. I then dropped out of that graduate school and spent three years in the Peace Corps, teaching science and geography to secondary school students in Ethiopia. After the Peace Corps, I was accepted at Michigan State University for graduate work in geography, eventually completing my Ph.D. in 1974. Meanwhile I was continuing to sing folksongs and protest songs with new friends there, and learning how to chase fiddle tunes with the banjo. The Elderly Instruments store extended family and the Ten-Pound Fiddle coffeehouse were major support structures.
In 1982 I returned to Maine, resettling in Portland, and helped reorganize the Portland Folk Club. We had a glorious run for about 12 years putting on concerts, hosting music swaps and organizing special musical events.
In the early 1990's some of us Folk Club members got together for a songs of the sea concert, calling ourselves Roll & Go (in honor of sea music collector Joanna Colcord). We are now a seasoned group of singers who specialize in traditional and contemporary songs of the sea with a strong emphasis on group harmonies and strong leads; some songs are backed up with guitar, banjo, concertina, washtub bass or penny whistle. Our first CD, Roll & Go: Outward Bound, was released in 2002. Our second CD is Rolling Down to Sailortown, 2005. In 2006 we were featured at the MYstic Sea Music Festival. More information about Roll & Go can be accessed from our website: www.rollandgoseasongs.com
Charley Noble, my nickname on the Mudcat Forum, is the name sailors traditionally call the chimney fitted where the galley fires were lit to take the smoke above decks aboard ships. Of course, any greenhorn sailor as part of his initiation rite was soon instructed to carry an important message to Charley, and if he were not immediately found on deck, to ask politely for help from the more experienced sailors. The search then generally led up to the main top, back down and up forward to the chain locker, down the main hatch and into the depths of the hold, a rare and wonderful exercise.
My wife and I now live in Richmond, Maine, a quiet river town some twenty miles up the Kennebec River from the coast. We share our household with two cats.
I was born in mid-coast Maine back in 1942, growing up on a working dairy farm. My parents, former New York City residents, always loved folksongs, and there was many a song party at the house with our neighbors and the folks from across the cove. My brother and I used to sneak out of bed late at night and listen to what they were singing from the stairwell. What we heard were old ballads, music hall songs, sea shanties, lumberjack songs, cowboy songs, and drinking songs. Quite an earful!
When I hit college in 1960 I formed my first folk singing group, learned to play the 5-string banjo, and after four years barely managed to get good enough grades to be accepted to graduate school. I then dropped out of that graduate school and spent three years in the Peace Corps, teaching science and geography to secondary school students in Ethiopia. After the Peace Corps, I was accepted at Michigan State University for graduate work in geography, eventually completing my Ph.D. in 1974. Meanwhile I was continuing to sing folksongs and protest songs with new friends there, and learning how to chase fiddle tunes with the banjo. The Elderly Instruments store extended family and the Ten-Pound Fiddle coffeehouse were major support structures.
In 1982 I returned to Maine, resettling in Portland, and helped reorganize the Portland Folk Club. We had a glorious run for about 12 years putting on concerts, hosting music swaps and organizing special musical events.
In the early 1990's some of us Folk Club members got together for a songs of the sea concert, calling ourselves Roll & Go (in honor of sea music collector Joanna Colcord). We are now a seasoned group of singers who specialize in traditional and contemporary songs of the sea with a strong emphasis on group harmonies and strong leads; some songs are backed up with guitar, banjo, concertina, washtub bass or penny whistle. Our first CD, Roll & Go: Outward Bound, was released in 2002. Our second CD is Rolling Down to Sailortown, 2005. In 2006 we were featured at the MYstic Sea Music Festival. More information about Roll & Go can be accessed from our website: www.rollandgoseasongs.com
Charley Noble, my nickname on the Mudcat Forum, is the name sailors traditionally call the chimney fitted where the galley fires were lit to take the smoke above decks aboard ships. Of course, any greenhorn sailor as part of his initiation rite was soon instructed to carry an important message to Charley, and if he were not immediately found on deck, to ask politely for help from the more experienced sailors. The search then generally led up to the main top, back down and up forward to the chain locker, down the main hatch and into the depths of the hold, a rare and wonderful exercise.
My wife and I now live in Richmond, Maine, a quiet river town some twenty miles up the Kennebec River from the coast. We share our household with two cats.
- Last seen 1 day ago. Member since February 7, 2006.
- I am a 65 year old man from Maine (United States)
- When I'm not writing, I'm Consultant.
- Visit my homepage at home.gwi.net/~ipbar/
- I help out as a moderator
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- I have 88 comments
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- C. Fox Smith at allpoetry
C. Fox Smith was a poet most prolific, She crossed the Atlantic to the Pacific; - Propane Bill at allpoetry
Driving down Stone Bridge Lane,
Just see old Bill running propane – - No Rhyme or Reason at allpoetry
There is no rhyme or reason for poetry –
Why should anyone care?
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on Verse by Nizar Qabbani, on April 27
Well done!
Unfortunately the message in this poem is not obsolete.
I've added the date to this poem.
Charley Noble -
on Army Of Northern Virginia by Stephen Vincent Benet, on April 23
Army of Northern Virginia
Stephen-
You certainly have a deep appreciation of both poetry and military history. You provide an excellent analysis of this poem, and the responses from previous posters.
As a moderator on this website I really appreciate members who go over these "old" poems carefully, mull them over, and provide insight to others. By the way if you run across typos or can contribute a better reference to when the poem was first published, please contact me or other moderators.
Charley Noble
Charley Noble