Wan white mists upon the sea,
East wind harping mournfully
All the sunken reefs along,
Wail and heart-break in its song,
But adown the placid bay
Fisher-folk keep holiday.
All the deeps beyond the bar
Call and murmur from afar,
'Plaining of a mighty woe
Where the great ships come and go,
But adown the harbor gray
Fisher-folk keep holiday.
When the cloudy heavens frown,
And the sweeping rain comes down,
Boats at anchorage must bide
In despite of time or tide;
Making merry as they may
Fisher-folk keep holiday.
Now is time for jest and song
All the idle shore along,
Now is time for wooing dear,
Maidens cannot choose but hear;
Daffing toil and care away
Fisher-folk keep holiday.
Oh, the fretted reefs may wail,
Every man has furled his sail!
Oh, the wind may moan in fear,
Every lad is with his dear!
Mirth and laughter have their way,
Fisher-folk keep holiday.
Notes
Composition date is unknown - the above date represents the first publication date.
The lyrical form of this poem is aabbcc.
23. Daffing: leaving behind.
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Comments
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OK. Another interesting write for Lucy. Lyrical form as in author's notes.
Structure wise:
Wonder why the first stanza is two sestes linked in the aabbcc form and then all the other stanzas are singular sestes?
Seems the first stanza should be separated like this:
Wan white mists upon the sea,
East wind harping mournfully
All the sunken reefs along,
Wail and heart-break in its song,
But adown the placid bay
Fisher-folk keep holiday.
All the deeps beyond the bar
Call and murmur from afar,
'Plaining of a mighty woe
Where the great ships come and go,
But adown the harbor gray
Fisher-folk keep holiday.
This poem is about travel and speaking. Most of her poems so far about the sea coast. Perhaps she lived by the sea or her husband/father was a fisherman.
Here the dialogue lines represent 80% of the poem:
East wind harping mournfully
Wail and heart-break in its song,
Fisher-folk keep holiday. (can't have holiday without talk)
Call and murmur from afar,
Making merry as they may
Fisher-folk keep holiday.
Now is time for jest and song
Now is time for wooing dear,
Maidens cannot choose but hear; (listening to talk)
Fisher-folk keep holiday.
Oh, the fretted reefs may wail,
Oh, the wind may moan in fear,
Mirth and laughter have their way,
Fisher-folk keep holiday.
I make that life at sea or from this type of career was uncertain at best. Not a 9 to 5 job. Lots of moaning, mumuring, fretting, harping broken up alternatively with wooing, mirth, laughter, jesting and songs. The wailing and heart-break demands it counter opposite of joy for the fisher-folk.
Excellent weaving of talk into a poem. I'll have to try it.
Thanks for posting this poem.
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