The Rower's Chant
- ROW till the land dip 'neath
- The sea from view.
- Row till a land peep up,
- A home for you.
- Row till the mast sing songs
- Welcome and sweet,
- Row till the waves, outstripped,
- Give up, dead beat.
- Row till the sea-nymphs rise
- To ask you why
- Rowing you tarry not
- To hear them sigh.
- Row till the stars grow bright
- Like certain eyes.
- Row till the noon be high
- As hopes you prize.
- Row till you harbour in
- All longing's port.
- Row till you find all things
- For which you sought.
- T. Sturge Moore (1870-1944)
Thomas Sturge Moore was a friend of both
William Butler Yeats and
Ezra Pound. Though never popular his work was still well respected though for the most part obscured by time. Written in the first third of the century Moore's
The Rower's Chant uses a themes that are classical and conservative but his poetic technique is very
innovative by applying the
rhythm of the poem to the rhythmical actions of
rowing.
Sources:
Blair, Bob:
http://www.geocities.com/~bblair/990622.htm
Public domain text taken from The Poets’ Corner:
http://www.theotherpages.org/poems/moore03.html#1
CST Approved.