A Child's Treasury of Seaside Verse

 A Child's Treasury of Seaside Verse
Compiled by Mark Daniel 1991

We’re off to the shore, with sand and sea and all the sun and water we can stand. A library find that I simply had to buy (and then buy again for Margaux) this has the most wonderful collection of poems accompanied by Victorian paintings and drawings. Old salts, ships at sea, the deep, at the seaside, and sea dreams divide the verses. The back index gives short biographies of all the poets and a list of all the painters.







My only complaint is the version of “Sea-Fever” by John Masefield.
It should be:

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 sails shaking,
And a grey mist on the sea’s face and a grey dawn breaking.

I must down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume,
And the sea-gulls crying.

I must 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;
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,
And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick’s over.

Congratulations to Robyn for winning the book giveaway!! (We put slips of paper in an old bowler hat and Henry picked). I have more books to give away- maybe once a month so there will be more chances.