John Masefield Was England's Poet Laureate Poem by Francis Duggan

John Masefield was England's Poet Laureate when I sat on the dunce's stool
In the class room by the road to Clara in Millstreet's old Primary School
One of the last great rhyme men of literature to the Reaper he has long gone
But long poems such as Reynard the Fox and The Everlasting Mercy and Dauber as testimony to his greatness live on.

John Masefield was a poet of all English speaking people and not for the English alone
His legacy of words proof of his genius he does share the literary throne
With all of his famous predecessors as a poet he was a true great
With the great poets of the English language John Masefield is one who does rate.

John Masefield was born in Ledbury and at a young age he went off to sea
The spirit of adventure was in him and a young man of the World was he
Perhaps his inspiration for Dauber a young crew hand and artist who died tragically
The poet of the English speaking masses embraced all of humanity.

At Toolangi Victoria in the backyard of the great poet C J Dennis John Masefield once planted a tree
A tree that has grown to an adult that I felt quite privileged to see
Two poets long dead though not forgotten since they were the greats of their time
And why not we honour and praise them these marvellous old wordsmiths of rhyme.

John Masefield was England's Poet Laureate when I was a Primary school going boy
His poems were not for the select few his poems were for all to enjoy
The Widow in the By Street and The Daffodil Fields just two of his great long poems since Masefield he penned many more
And his poems of the sea Saltwater Ballads are read far from England's green shore.