For My Dad And The Sea
Start writing a post
Relationships

For My Dad And The Sea

All I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover.

31
For My Dad And The Sea
Unsplash

My dad keeps a tiny book of poetry tucked away on his desk. It’s buried beneath old receipts for campgrounds in North Conway and expired Tollhouse coupons. He’s a bit of packrat, my dad, but he always knows where everything is. Especially that book.

I don’t know if it has a title, or when he even bought it, but the pages are well-worn — poured over again and again. My dad is man of many things, and I often forget that that includes poetry. It’s just hard for me to think of him that way. It’s difficult to imagine his large hands flipping through the pages a mini anthology, calloused fingers pausing on the lines and his brow furrowed in thought. My dad is a handy man, a do-it-yourselfer, a sales guy. He’s not a poet.

Still, he keeps that tiny book.

He keeps it and he reads it. I know he reads it because told me so himself. He told me on the same day he showed me the book for the first time. The day when he asked me to read "Sea Fever" by John Masefield. I didn’t like the poem — not at the time, anyway, because that was back when poetry was something teachers were still trying to beat into me. Back when I never wanted to be a writer. I thought John Masefield was boring, and I couldn’t understand my dad’s insistence for the words laid out on the page before me. I couldn’t understand why he seemed so married to that poem. But I always remembered those words. My dad reading:

I must go down to the seas again.

Long after I had forgotten the title, long after I had forgotten the author, those words remained. They held fast, stuck in my head the same way my dad had spoken them to me. And years passed before they meant anything, before I actually started to write. At first for a degree, and then for myself. I was cracked open in college. I was raw and born anew. I rediscovered poetry, I found my own John Masefield. I found hundreds of John Masefields. And suddenly I realized I could feel what I had seen in my dad’s eyes when he looked at that tiny book.

It was a sense of self. It was freedom. It was an entire ocean and a little house by the bay in Scituate. It was where my dad’s life began and where my life derived from, down by the seas and in drowning in words we couldn’t articulate for ourselves. My dad and I, we’re one and the same. I’ve always known this, but it’s those moments I spend thinking of this poem when it hits me like a freight train. My dad knows me better than anyone else.

And when I stand on the coast of Ireland, more than two thousand miles away, I take comfort in knowing we’re looking at the same sea. That my dad is there, like he’s always been. My laughing fellow-rover, my star to steer by.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
the beatles
Wikipedia Commons

For as long as I can remember, I have been listening to The Beatles. Every year, my mom would appropriately blast “Birthday” on anyone’s birthday. I knew all of the words to “Back In The U.S.S.R” by the time I was 5 (Even though I had no idea what or where the U.S.S.R was). I grew up with John, Paul, George, and Ringo instead Justin, JC, Joey, Chris and Lance (I had to google N*SYNC to remember their names). The highlight of my short life was Paul McCartney in concert twice. I’m not someone to “fangirl” but those days I fangirled hard. The music of The Beatles has gotten me through everything. Their songs have brought me more joy, peace, and comfort. I can listen to them in any situation and find what I need. Here are the best lyrics from The Beatles for every and any occasion.

Keep Reading...Show less
Being Invisible The Best Super Power

The best superpower ever? Being invisible of course. Imagine just being able to go from seen to unseen on a dime. Who wouldn't want to have the opportunity to be invisible? Superman and Batman have nothing on being invisible with their superhero abilities. Here are some things that you could do while being invisible, because being invisible can benefit your social life too.

Keep Reading...Show less
houses under green sky
Photo by Alev Takil on Unsplash

Small towns certainly have their pros and cons. Many people who grow up in small towns find themselves counting the days until they get to escape their roots and plant new ones in bigger, "better" places. And that's fine. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought those same thoughts before too. We all have, but they say it's important to remember where you came from. When I think about where I come from, I can't help having an overwhelming feeling of gratitude for my roots. Being from a small town has taught me so many important lessons that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

Keep Reading...Show less
​a woman sitting at a table having a coffee
nappy.co

I can't say "thank you" enough to express how grateful I am for you coming into my life. You have made such a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without you and I know that you will keep inspiring me to become an even better version of myself.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

98818
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments