Sunset and evening star,
And one clear call for me!
And may there be no moaning of the bar,
When I put out to sea,
But such a tide as moving seems asleep,
Too full for sound and foam,
When that which drew from out the boundless deep
Turns again home.
Twilight and evening bell,
And after that the dark!
And may there be no sadness of farewell,
When I embark;
For tho' from out our bourne of Time and Place
The flood may bear me far,
I hope to see my Pilot face to face
When I have crost the bar.
Notes
The bar referred to is a sandspit or similar promontory at the mouth of a river or harbour where tides have deposited sand over time. To hear the wind and waves moaning of the bar can be a portent of bad weather and a bad voyage.
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My father
From guest Bonnye Manning (contact)
My father quoted the first verse very difficultly while sick in the hospital in September. When I asked him if he was scared of dying, he said, "dying isn't scary, living is scary". He wasn't ready to go and fought very hard because he wanted to stay to live a new-found freedom. It wasn't to be. 09-21-09...goodbye my dear man. -
LCDR William C. Bart Sr.
From guest Bill Bart (contact)
It was a poem read when we we laid to rest a gallant officer and reverent gentleman, my father.. Fitting end for a old mentor and friend... -
For Senator Ted Kennedy
From guest dibleysvicar (contact)
I could not help but think of this poem, while watching the graveside service for Senator Ted Kennedy. It is my prayer that he indeed, upon "Crossing the Bar", has met the "Faithful" Pilot. May Ted rest in eternal peace. -
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From guest Linda (contact)
This is one of many poems that my father used to recite to me when I was a child. People did recitation then at family parties and he was excellent at it. As he grew more ill and his death was near he loved this even more. I wish we all recited poetry as people did in the 30s and 40s...a different time. -
very impressive one
From guest Wissam.sh.m (contact)
Crossing The Bar's Tennyson in his poem describes his life before the death so he used the sunset and the night to describe the end of something (the death). Tennyson showed something contrary appeared at (Vicyorian Era), Tennyson tries to give a most nearest image of the coming of his death and be very wisedom in that time' he tries to stop with himself for sometime and remembers his whole life, and be happy if he is not sinful but be sad if he is sinful(this is a good reference to Tennyson to be wisedom). thanks -
Excellent writing
From guest TrueHawk (contact)
I have read this poem countless times and have heard it at many a funeral. You don't read much writing better than Tennyson's, and his depth of feeling is profound. -
Poem is good
From guest Jordan B (contact)
I'm doing an english project on a poem and i picked this, it's really inspiring. -
poem
From guest James (contact)
This was composed in Overbecks. Once a private home and now a youth hostel which Overlooks the harbour mouth of the Salcombe estuary. The bar mentioned is a spit of sand where the mouth of the estuary meets the sea. It is thought that Tennyson composed the poem whilst looking out over the view. Images of the view can be found on google. -
Sea poems have so much power...
I don't like his ending though.
The "One clear call for me" is a beautiful image because it evokes sound so splendidly...
He is definitely my favorite "old" poet! -
I felt this to be so atmospheric ..
'twilight and evening bell'
'when I have crost the bar'
great reference and use of the bar
'the flood may bear me far'
'hope to see my Pilot face to face'
brilliant analogy
s s
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Have not read this poem since high school - many moons ago. Enjoyed reading this again - glad to have the opportunity.
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Just an awe-inspiring poem
We used to live in an apartment facing the Arabian Sea and the ocean would have this effect at night-times especially- I would always think of all the most significant events in life- birth, death, love etc. Tennyson has tapped into the universal in this poem and what better metaphor than the ocean. -
Crossing the Bar
JUST REALLY GREAT *SPEECHLESS* -
Superb
One of my all time favorite poems written by a master of his craft. -
Crossing The Bar´s Sound Qualities
This poem takes on a whole new level of richness and resonance when you read it aloud. Even better if you memorize it for others, and recite it! -
This poem was recalled to my mind recently when I heard it sung (very well) almost as a requiem. The singers properly attributed the poem to Tennyson but said he had deliberately written it as his own memorial.
I too would echo the sentiments so beautifully expressed here, echoing his words
"And may there be no sadness of farewell,
When I embark;" -
Tennyson wrote this poem not long before he died, almost prophetic as he did meet his 'Pilot' not long after this poem was completed. It shows the depth of his faith and I feel that he was facing his own death with trust and dignity.
Von -
Crossing the bar
Sunset and evening star
And one clear call for me!
What beautiful lines!Only Tennyson, the musical poet could write so!I wish i was there to hear him recite. -
No "Moaning at the Bar"
Here's to Dead Dog Cider, the best there is by far;
Here's to Dead Dog Cider, no moaning at the bar!
You can search this wide world over, find many a beer or ale,
But when you've found Dead Dog Cider, your search will be curtailed!
Cheerily,
Charley Noble -
Classic
Still one the loveiest and most potent short poems in English. A true classic. -
On the surface level the poet is writing of crossing the bar as a sailor would describe it. That is leaving port and going over the sand bar that was a feature of many harbour or river mouths. If the waves were disturbed (moaning of the bar) the voyage was likely to be rough and he would need the service of a good local mariner (the pilot) to guide him in or out.
Then the last line throws it all onto a spiritual level with the journey through life and Jesus as the pilot guiding the way -
crossing the bar
From guest mahina (contact)
does anyone knoe the theme and the analysis of this poem? if you do can you let me knoe...thankz so much!!! -
crossing the bar
From guest mahina (contact)
this poem was intresting to me it is refering to death and the pilot that he wants to come face to face to is jesus christ..i love this poem -
seems a metaphor for death...
transcending the noisy world of fun and frolic... to the realms of silence ...
elegant expression and rhyme... in vivid words -
Sang at my dad's funeral
http://www.stpatrickscathedral.ie/New_Folder/cd's/sunset.wav
This version by Irish composer George Hewson. http://www.stpatrickscathedral.ie/disc.htm
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A beautiful poem. Definitely full of meaning and hope. Hope that is a certainty. Tennysons rhyming is wonderful. He is one of the great poets.
Edited on Oct 17, 3:18 because ''. -
fasting for Ramadan? or fasting for the health of it?
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7/10
I didn't really care for the last verse, I thought it was kind of lacking to the rest of the piece. Just didn't like it, other than that a lovely piece here.
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I have heard a beautiful musical version of this poem.
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