Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, ON THE EMBANKMENT, by WILFRID WILSON GIBSON


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

ON THE EMBANKMENT, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Down on the sunlit ebb, with the wind in her sails, and free
Last Line: My heart is a hopeless lad in gaol.
Subject(s): Freedom; Liberty


Down on the sunlit ebb, with the wind in her sails, and free
Of cable and anchor, she swept rejoicing to seek the sea.

And my eyes and my heart swept out with her,
When at my elbow I felt a stir;
And glancing down, I saw a lad --
A shambling lad with shifty air,
Weak-chested, stunted and ill-clad,
Who watched her with unseeing stare.

Dull, watery grey eyes he had
Blinking beneath the slouching cap
That hid the low-browed, close-cropped head:
And as I turned to him he said
With hopeless hangdog air:
"Just out of gaol three days ago;
And I'll be back before I know:
For nothing else is left a chap
When once he's been inside ... and so..."
Then dumb he stood with sightless stare
Set on the sunlit, windy sail of the far-off boat that free
Of cable and anchor still swept on rejoicing to seek the sea.

My heart is a sunlit, windy sail:
My heart is a hopeless lad in gaol.





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