Tuesday Poem: “Cargoes” by John Masefield
QUINQUIREME of Nineveh from distant Ophir,
Rowing home to haven in sunny Palestine,
With a cargo of ivory,
And apes and peacocks,
Sandalwood, cedarwood, and sweet white wine.
Stately Spanish galleon coming from the Isthmus,
Dipping through the Tropics by the palm-green shores,
With a cargo of diamonds,
Emeralds, amythysts,
Topazes, and cinnamon, and gold moidores.
Dirty British coaster with a salt-caked smoke stack,
Butting through the Channel in the mad March days,
With a cargo of Tyne coal,
Road-rails, pig-lead,
Firewood, iron-ware, and cheap tin trays.
.
by John Masefield, 1878-1967
from Ballads and Poems, 1923
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On May 24 I featured Masefield’s poem, The Ballad of Sir Bors, from the same collection, and quoted Carcanet Press’s bio from their 2005 publication, Sea Fever: Selected Poems of John Masefield (ed. Philip Errington):
“John Masefield (1878-1967) is one of the great storytellers of English poetry, a spinner of yarns and ballads of tall ships and exotic seas, of the deep-rooted life of the rural England in which he grew up, and of the great narratives of Troy and Arthurian legend. Some included here – ‘Sea-Fever’ and ‘Cargoes’ – are among the best-loved poems in English …”
When I first encountered Cargoes as a young reader, I loved the romance of the first two stanzas—the “quinquireme of Nineveh” and the “stately Spanish galleon” as well as the sense of adventure redolent in locales such as “distant Ophir” and the hinted at Spanish Main. As a somewhat older reader I felt a far greater appreciation of their juxtaposition with that “dirty British freighter with a salt-caked smoke stack”—and the humorous irony of a cargo of “cheap tin trays” when compared with “apes and peacocks” or “gold moidores.” (Which reminds me, isn’t it international Talk Like A Pirate Day very soon?)
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Over on the Tuesday Poem Hub, convenor Mary McCallum is marking the tenth anniversary of September 11, 2001 with a clip of New Jersey poet Deborah Garrison reading four poems about New York, recorded on a subsequent September 11. Do head on over and check it out.
You can also read a transcript of Billy Collins’—who was US poet laureate in 2001—September 11 tribute poem to the victims, The Names, here.
I love this poem, the way it demands to be read aloud, the rhythm and the sway of the sea. Cheers. And thank you for reminding me about talk like a pirate day – 5 days and counting. Avast me hearties, ‘n’ swab th’ deck. Arr.
It does have great rhythm doesn’t it—I think that’s part of why it is so easy to remember, as well as the captivating language and imagery of the three ships.
“salt-caked smoke stack”, indeed! I’m sure I have read this poem before, but it has been many years – too many – since I read any Masefield. Thanks for posting this and reminding me how good his poetry is!
Tim, I think I know the last stanza off by heart, because I just love it, although it’s usually the first, about the “quinquireme of Nineveh” and “distant Ophir” that gets quoted. But I have always loved ships and the sea, so was naturally drawn to Masefield’s poetry from a very young age.
I totally agree,I remember this wonderful melodic poem from school and really love it,like you,must read more !!
This is one of several diverse poems I like to savour silently in my bed while waiting for sleep, with the darkness of night slowly lifting, and long-familiar objects coming into view. Perhaps it is an ‘old age thing’ I am almost eighty-eight.
Marcelle, your comment is almost a poem in itself. 🙂 I am glad you enjoyed “Cargoes” on the blog and hope you will return for many more Tuesday poems.
Dear Helen, in our school time the same poem the Heading was ‘Cargoes” but it was presented in a different way it did have 3 stanza of 4 liner each, im from india ,mumbai, it was something like “Ahoi ahoi
QUINQUIREME of Nineveh falling…. further stanza im not able to recollect.actually im searching for that poem,please help me,since 5th september is a teachers day i want to emeil her this poem and post on fb to my friends.thanx Naresh shah
Hi Naresh, this version of the poem is from the 1923 collection and the only format in which I have ever seen it printed. Perhaps either another “Cargoes” poem, or another poem by Masefield? I certainly don’t recall anything by Masefield beginningas you suggest, though.
I do hope you find what you are looking for.
I can remember this as I sat in All Saints school Roffey Sussex U/K. in the 1920/30s Is there any other than me left ??
Regards
Well, there’ll only ever be one of you, Walter. 😉
But I do know a few other poetry lovers of your era. Thank you for commenting: nice to hear from you.
Apart from Masefield’s poetry, I seem to remember “Jim Davis” from my boyhood reading. It was long a favourite of mine, although we studied his poetry at school. Also as I recall, “Cargoes” was set to music.
P N
Ah, I have never heard the poem to music…
I went to an excellent elementary school in Yorkshire 1929-35 where the teachers didn’t bother us too much.We did have to learn Ritin Readin and simple Rithmatic but very often we were told Get a book out and read it and keep quiet. always took out my poetry book where I read Masefield and Yeats.Best possible education. Oh, and Burns! “A man’s a man for a’ that” Dynamite for a nine year old making me a non-conformist for life.
A non-conformist for life — now that is an accolade for poetry. 😉