Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE WIND BLEW SHRILL AND SMART, by ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE WIND BLEW SHRILL AND SMART, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
Last Line: And the ruler of the ocean wild and wide!
Alternate Author Name(s): Stevenson, Robert Lewis Balfour
Subject(s): Sea Voyages; Death


The wind blew shrill and smart,
And the wind awoke my heart
Again to go a-sailing o'er the sea,
To hear the cordage moan
And the straining timbers groan,
And to see the flying pennon lie a-lee.

O sailor of the fleet,
It is time to stir the feet!
It's time to man the dingy and to row!
It's lay your hand in mine
And it's empty down the wine,
And it's drain a health to death before we go!

To death, my lads, we sail;
And it's death that blows the gale
And death that holds the tiller as we ride.
For he's the king of all
In the tempest and the squall,
And the ruler of the Ocean wild and wide!





Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!


Other Poems of Interest...
Home: PoetryExplorer.net