The Sailing of the Fleets
A poem that explores the themes of journey, transformation, and the passage of time. The speaker reflects on the fleets of ships that have sailed across the ocean, carrying people and goods to new destinations. The poem also touches on the idea of the cyclical nature of life, as the speaker notes that the fleets will sail again, just as the seasons repeat themselves. The language is rich and imaginative, with vivid descriptions of the sea and its creatures.
By Bliss Carman · First published 1896 · Genre: Poetry, Anthology, Nautical · 257 words
First lines
Now the spring is in the town, Now the wind is in the tree, And the wintered keels go down To the calling of the sea.
Out from mooring, dock, and slip, Through the harbor buoys they glide, Drawing seaward till they dip To the swirling of the tide.
One by one and two by two, Down the channel turns they go, Steering for the open blue Where the salty great airs blow;
Craft of many a build and trim, Every stitch of sail unfurled, Till they hang upon the rim Of the azure ocean world.
What this Textopian page supports
The Sailing of the Fleets is listed on Textopian as a poem by Bliss Carman, dated 1896 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Bliss Carman
- Date: 1896 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Anthology, Nautical
- Length: 257 words
- Structure: 1 section, 7 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Sailing of the Fleets by Bliss Carman
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Sailing of the Fleets?
- How does this poem by Bliss Carman fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
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Similar titles
- Gran Boule A Seamans Tale Of The Sea Narrative Poems by Henry Van Dyke
- Captain Macartney by Bernard Capes
- The Red Riper Voyageur by John Greenleaf Whittier
- An Idyl Of The Wood by Arthur Willis Colton
- Men Of The Sea by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- On The Sea by John Keats
Genres
- Poetry — Bliss Carman was well-known as a poet, and 'The Sailing of the Fleets' is a collection of his poems.
- Anthology — The book is a collection of poems written by Bliss Carman, hence it can be classified under Anthology.
- Nautical — Given the title and some themed poems included in the collection, one can infer it falls to some extent under the Nautical genre.
Tags
Maritime · Nautical · Fleet · Sailing · Ocean · Ships · Voyage · Travel · Adventure · Exploration · History · Literature