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 and the wind’s song and the white sail’s shaking,
And a grey mist on the sea’s face and a grey dawn breaking.

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, and the sea-gulls crying.

I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull’s way and the whale’s way where the wind’s like a whetted knife;
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,
And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick’s over.

– Sea Fever by John Masefield (1878-1967)

When I was a child, rather than read or tell stories at bedtime, my father would recite poems he had committed to memory.  John Masefield’s Sea Fever was always my favorite and it still resonates today.  Nothing makes me feel more fulfilled than being near the water, so I am giddy with anticipation as I pack and prepare for our trip to Martha’s Vineyard.  This vacation will be agenda-free and as laid back as they come.  Shouldn’t that be the only kind?

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