I'm On A Boat
Not every poet can manage to get himself quoted by both James T. Kirk and Willy Wonka, but John Masefield managed it.
Masfield was poet laureate of the UK for thirty-seven freaking years, from 1930 to 1967. He wrote poems for a quartet of British monarchs, including the current queen. That was a cushy gig, but it was a non-royal poem, "Sea Fever," that made old Masefield immortal.
Its most most famous line, "All I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by," is the one spoken on screem by William Shatner and Gene Wilder. Here you can listen to the poet himself deliver this ode to the freedom found on open waters. Leaving the troubled shores behind sounds like a good idea right about now, doesn't it?
P.S. The man who followed Masefield as UK poet laureate was named Cecil Day-Lewis. CDL was obviously a fine poet, but the most famous thing he produced was his son, Daniel Day-Lewis.
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| Clearly, a pop culture vulture. |
Masfield was poet laureate of the UK for thirty-seven freaking years, from 1930 to 1967. He wrote poems for a quartet of British monarchs, including the current queen. That was a cushy gig, but it was a non-royal poem, "Sea Fever," that made old Masefield immortal.
Its most most famous line, "All I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by," is the one spoken on screem by William Shatner and Gene Wilder. Here you can listen to the poet himself deliver this ode to the freedom found on open waters. Leaving the troubled shores behind sounds like a good idea right about now, doesn't it?
P.S. The man who followed Masefield as UK poet laureate was named Cecil Day-Lewis. CDL was obviously a fine poet, but the most famous thing he produced was his son, Daniel Day-Lewis.
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| He drinks your milkshake! |
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