John Masefield Quotes
1878–1967 England
John Edward Masefield, OM (1 June 1878 – 12 May 1967) was an English poet and writer; he was Poet Laureate from 1930 until his death.
Random John Masefield quote
33 quotes
I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky.
God warms his hands at man's heart when he prays.
Love is a flame to burn out human wills,
Love is a flame to set the will on fire,
Love is a flame to cheat men into mire.
Death opens unknown doors. It is most grand to die.
When Life knocks at the door no one can wait,
When Death makes his arrest we have to go.
Heaven to me's a fair blue stretch of sky,
Earth's jest a dusty road.
The dropping grey-beard with the cold blue eye
While we least think it he prepares his Mate.
Mate, and the King's pawn played, it never ceases,
Though all the earth is dust of taken pieces.
All the great things of life are swiftly done,
Creation, death, and love the double gate.
However much we dawdle in the sun
We have to hurry at the touch of Fate.
Lord, give to men who are old and rougher
The things that little children suffer,
And let keep bright and undefiled
The young years of the little child.
The corn that makes the holy bread
By which the soul of man is fed,
The holy bread, the food unpriced,
Thy everlasting mercy, Christ.
The Lord who gave us Earth and Heaven
Takes that as thanks for all He's given.
The book he lent is given back
All blotted red and smutted black.
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
I have seen flowers come in stony places
And kind things done by men with ugly faces,
And the gold cup won by the worst horse at the races,
So I trust, too.
God dropped a spark down into everyone,
And if we find and fan it to a blaze,
It'll spring up and glow, like—like the sun,
And light the wandering out of stony ways.
What is this creature, Music, save the Art,
The Rhythm that the planets journey by?
The living Sun-Ray entering the heart,
Touching the Life with that which cannot die?
Where does the uttered Music go? (1946)
I must 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.
Salt-Water Ballads (1902)
Quinquireme of Nineveh from distant Ophir,
Rowing home to haven in sunny Palestine,
With a cargo of ivory,
And apes and peacocks,
Sandalwood, cedarwood, and sweet white wine.
Salt-Water Ballads (1902)
A rosebud need not have a mind.
And silence broods like spirit on the brae,
A glimmering moon begins, the moonlight runs
Over the grasses of the ancient way
Rutted this morning by the passing guns.