I blame byronium...

[gayathri]

Since he's been posting poetry that he's been thinking about... this is one of the first I ever memorized, not to tell anyone, but just because I wanted to figure out how to rhyme 'again' and 'main', and also the idea of going to sea when the moon was bright. When I was a child, the moonlight would come in thru my bedroom window, and even back then, my eyesight was bad, so I had to imagine what I was 'seeing', and my imagination had my bed a boat, the moon our guide, and my teddy bears and I sailing off to an adventure. (It wasnt until far far later, I realized that this poem was about men going off and conquering others just for some glittery treasure - for me, it was the adventure of the travel that called.)

The Moon is up: Alfred Noyes

The moon is up, the stars are bright.
the wind is fresh and free!
We're out to seek the gold tonight
across the silver sea!
The world is growing grey and old:
break out the sails again!
We're out to see a Realm of Gold
beyond the Spanish Main.

We're sick of all the cringing knees,
the courtly smiles and lies
God, let Thy singing channel breeze
lighten our hearts and eyes!
Let love no more be bought and sold
for earthly loss or gain;
We're out to seek an Age of Gold
beyond the Spanish Main.

Beyond the light of far Cathay,
beyond all mortal dreams,
Beyond the reach of night and day
Our El Dorado gleams,
Revealing - as the skies unfold -
A star without a stain,
The Glory of the Gates of Gold
beyond the Spanish Main.

Comments

[byronium.livejournal.com]

I'm happy to accept the blame for inspiring others if the punishment I must bear is seeing more poetry. ;)

Maybe young Gayathri was just getting her first inkling of metaphor? There's no reason that El Dorado can't be the exciting adventure that awaits one in a new place.

[gayathri.livejournal.com]

No, it totally was! I grew up in a magical place (my head) and the adventures of sailing and searching and finding and being with people who were so different and maybe still the same was exciting.