My Captain

Has anyone seen my Captain?
He sailed far into the west.
He vanished with the sunlight
once settled in my breast.
He took my heart and soul
and never shall I rest.
He took what I loved most
and all that I loved best.

O! Where are you my Captain?
I have lost you from my sight.
I stand and weep alone
for the sorrow of my plight.
My sweet, beloved Captain,
how can I speak or write
of everything you mean to me
and how I need your light?

My brave and mighty Captain,
my fearless cavalier,
you journey far across the sea.
I wish that you were here.
Home is lonely without you,
and I long to hold you near.
How can I make you notice
the falling of my tear?

My gentle-hearted Captain,
when shall you come ashore?
When will you come to me again,
the way you did before?
The skies are dressed in blue
and weep forevermore;
and I shall weep along with it
until I live no more.

Alas! Alas! My Captain,
the wind is my sad song.
I wail to you upon the breeze
that bears your ship along.
My heart for you is weeping;
and even though it's wrong,
I have no hope without you,
no strength to keep me strong.

Farewell, farewell, my Captain,
as you sail across the sea.
May your sails swiftly turn
to bring you home to me.
Good-bye, good-bye, my Captain.
I shall sorrow on the shore.
My tears will fall into the sea
to hold you evermore.

Reviews

[Marshall Hanson]

Very beautiful poem. it was a pleasure to read.

[Devons]

This is a quite beautiful poem, I find myself surprised to say. There is an ancient feel to it in the way it reads and sounds; kind of classical and exotic, as though the speaker is from a far-off land. There isn't much evidence for this, but it is the impression it leaves me with. It may be partly to do with the reason I felt unconvinced of the credibility of the poem as I read: there was an element of old-fashioned cliche about it, I thought, for a while. There is an undefinable charm about the piece which builds throughout and by the end one is left feeling a deep impression. This, I think, has a lot to do with the way it is structured: the rhyme, the motif, and the rhythm of the work. As a whole it creates something magical somehow. Like a legend, told lyrically.