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In the poem "Sea Fever," why does the poet John Masefield ask for a tall ship and a star to steer the way?

John Mansfield’s poem “Sea Fever” describes the feeling a mariner gets when the seafaring way of life calls to him. The seafarer in the poem says, “And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by.”


Tall ships were, and are, known for their sea worthiness. Their sturdy build, with oaken masts, and a variety of sails made to catch the wind, is meant for enduring long voyages in rough seas. In John Mansfield’s seafaring days, tall ships facilitated trade across the Atlantic Ocean.  


Before the use of sonar and radar to chart the course of a ship, mariners used celestial or astronavigation to find their way.  Using the location of the sun, the moon and stars in relation to the horizon, mariners were able to calculate and chart their travels. Therefore, the narrator in Mansfield’s poem is asking for clear evening skies so that he see a star to chart his course. The ship and the star are all he needs.

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