Not Waving but Drowning
A poem by Stevie Smith
Nobody heard him, the dead man,
But still he lay moaning:
I was much further out than you thought
And not waving but drowning.
But still he lay moaning:
I was much further out than you thought
And not waving but drowning.
Poor chap, he always loved larking
And now he's dead
It must have been too cold for him his heart gave way,
They said.
And now he's dead
It must have been too cold for him his heart gave way,
They said.
Oh, no no no, it was too cold always
(Still the dead one lay moaning)
I was much too far out all my life
And not waving but drowning.
(Still the dead one lay moaning)
I was much too far out all my life
And not waving but drowning.
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I love Stevie Smith, I think a very underrated poet.
ReplyDeleteLoved your post on JWW, when I lived in London I would drag anybody and everyone to sit with me for hours at the Tate and stare at The Lady of Shalott, I have hauled a cheap framed print with me back and forth across the Atlantic for decades, love this painting and the poem, wow you stirred up some great memories :)
Have a great weekend, T.