Tying in John D. McDonald and John Masefield

Discovered that my villain is a Travis McGee fan and has been using the following poem by John Masefield to guide his life:

“Sea Fever”

I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by;
And the wheel’s kick and the wind’s song and the white sail’s shaking,
And a grey mist on the sea’s face, and a grey dawn breaking,

I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying

I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull’s way and the whale’s way where the wind’s like a whetted knife;
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,
And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick’s over.

By John Masefield (1878-1967).
(English Poet Laureate, 1930-1967.)

It’s kind of amazing how you can take such a gentle, moving bit of poetry and, by focusing with a character’s obsession and madness on a few key words, turn it into the central peg in a nightmare scene.

(written 11:05 AM)

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