An Ode in Time of Hesitation
July 6, 2023Young Munro the Sailor
July 6, 2023A Grey Day
Grey drizzling mists the moorlands drape,
Rain whitens the dead sea,
From headland dim to sullen cape
Grey sails creep wearily.
I know not how that merchantman
Has found the heart; but ’tis her plan
Seaward her endless course to shape.
Unreal as insects that appall
A drunkard’s peevish brain,
O’er the grey deep the dories crawl,
Four-legged, with rowers twain:
Midgets and minims of the earth,
Across old ocean’s vasty girth
Toiling–heroic, comical!
I wonder how that merchant’s crew
Have ever found the will!
I wonder what the fishers do
To keep them toiling still!
I wonder how the heart of man
Has patience to live out its span,
Or wait until its dreams come true.
William Vaughn Moody
William Vaughn Moody (1869-1910) was an American poet and playwright, known for his works that often dealt with themes of tragedy and despair. He was a professor at the University of Chicago, and his work was highly influential in shaping the Modernist literary movement. Some of his most famous works include "The Fire-Bringer", "The Great Divide", and "The Masque of Judgment". Moody died at a young age, but his work continued to be celebrated in the years following his death.