Classic Poem

They came from only God knows where,
Three tarry, blue-eyed men,
They blundered through the swaying train
To empty seats, and then —
Forgotten talk of long ago
I listened to again.

They spoke of rising storm and tides,
Of heaving decks and seas,
Of Port Soudan and Port au Prince,
Seychelles and Hebrides,
Of lonely hours in doldrum calm,
And unsolved mysteries.

Their talk was thick with briny oaths,
And some of it was lies;
They yarned of captains, crews and ships,
Far seas and ports and skies —
But splendid peace and happiness
Shone deep in their blue eyes.

And each one knew, whate"er his talk,
Though cursed as friend and foe,
The sea was dearer to them all —
And at her word would go
Each mother"s son, for none could fail
When she lured, sighing low.

So from the train they lumbered off
With worn and battered grips,
With curses they were leaving port,
But smiles upon their lips,
Down, down the twisting ways to where
There lay the waiting ships.