Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE OPTIMISTIC SKIPPER, by AMOS RUSSEL WELLS Poet's Biography First Line: The skipper of the mary ann, a jolly chap is he Last Line: "so long as I am sailing on the top side of the sea?" Subject(s): Sailing & Sailors | ||||||||
The skipper of the Mary Ann, a jolly chap is he; With jaunty jest and merriment he gayly sails the sea. He knows no navigation and he missed his course a mile, But said, "It doesn't matter, so long as I can smile." He ran against an island, and he almost sank the ship -- "Well, never mind!" he brightly said, "we'll have a cheerful trip." He did not see the gathering storm, but roared a sprightly song, "O sailors, keep a-singing, and the way will not be long!" The tempest blew him eastward and the tempest blew him west; Whatever way he travelled, he liked that way the best. He lost his course entirely, but he never lost his grin; Said he, "The bark of laughter is the ship to travel in!" And somewhere on the ocean, from the tropics to the pole, The storms are still a-buffeting that optimistic soul. He knows no navigation, but "What's the odds?" asks he, "So long as I am sailing on the top side of the sea?" | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...EASTERN LONG ISLAND by MARVIN BELL SAILS OF MURMUR by ANSELM HOLLO LOST ABOARD U.S.S. 'GROWLER'; IN MEMORY OF WILLIAM HICKEY, 1944 by CHARLES OLSON THE LOVE POEMS OF MARICHIKO: 11 by KENNETH REXROTH THE LOVE POEMS OF MARICHIKO: 47 by KENNETH REXROTH A BATTLE SONG (WRITTEN IN THE WORLD WAR) by AMOS RUSSEL WELLS |
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