Home / Authors / John Masefield

John Masefield

John Masefield Quotes

Poet

John Masefield was an influential British poet known for his works that deeply explored the themes of nature and the sea. His poetry, characterized by its unique style and profound love for the natural world, includes notable works such as 'Sea Fever' and 'Cargoes'. Born on June 1, 1878, he passed away on May 12, 1967.

Filter quotes by topic

All Men Life May Sea Boats And Sailing Earth Made Sailing Sailing And The Sea Sail Ships Soul Stars Boat Children Fire Heart Humans Ifs Laughing

Famous John Masefield Quotes

“O lovely lily clean, O lily springing green, O lily bursting white, Dear lily of delight, Spring in my heart agen That I may flower to men.”

Men Heart May White Flower My Heart Spring Green Clean Dear Delight Lovely Lilies Bursting May Flowers

Book:Selected poems

Source: Selected poems

“The corn that makes the holy bread By which the soul of man is fed, The holy bread, the food unpriced, Thy everlasting mercy, Christ.”

Men Soul Christ Holy Mercy Bread Feds Everlasting Corn

Author:John Masefield

“In the dark room where I began My mother's life made me a man. Through all the months of human birth Her beauty fed my common earth. I cannot see, nor breathe, nor stir, But through the death of some of her.”

Men Humans Made Earth Mother Dark Rooms Common Months Birth Breathe Feds Her Beauty Dark Room

Author:John Masefield

“In the power and splendor of the universe, inspiration waits for the millions to come. Man has only to strive for it. Poems greater than the Iliad, plays greater than Macbeth, stories more engaging than Don Quixote await their seeker and finder.”

Men Play Stories Inspiration Universe Waiting Millions Greater Strive Engaging Seekers Splendor Iliad

Author:John Masefield

“Man cannot call the brimming instant back; Time's an affair of instants spun to days; If man must make an instant gold, or black, Let him, he may; but Time must go his ways. Life may be duller for an instant's blaze. Life's an affair of instants spun to years, Instants are only cause of all these tears.”

Ifs Men Way Life Years May Causes Black Tears Gold Affair Instant Spun

Book:Selected poems

Source: Selected poems

“Love is a flame to burn out human wills, Love is a flame to set the will on fire, Love is a flame to cheat men into mire.”

Men Life Humans Love Is Fire Flames Cheat Burn Out Human Will

Book:The Collected Poems

Source: The Collected Poems

“Men in a ship are always looking up, and men ashore are usually looking down.”

Men Ships Boat Sailing Looking Down Nautical Yacht Sailing And The Sea Boats And Sailing Sailing Ships Ships At Sea

Author:John Masefield

“God warms his hands at man's heart when he prays.”

Men Heart Hands Prayer Praying I Pray To God

Book:Selected poems

Source: Selected poems

“Most roads lead men homewards, My road leads me forth”

Men Journey Self Discovery Finding Yourself Leading Me

Book:Poems

Source: Poems

“Man's body is faulty, his mind untrustworthy, but his imagination has made him remarkable.”

Men Mind Made Body Imagination Remarkable Untrustworthy

Book:Recent prose

Source: Recent prose

“I have seen flowers come in stony places And kind things done by men with ugly faces, And the gold cup won by the worst horse at the races, So I trust, too.”

Men Kind Done Faces Race Worst Flower Gold Horse Ugly Cups Things Done Ugly Face

Book:John Masefield's letters from the front, 1915-1917

Source: John Masefield's letters from the front, 1915-1917

“Once in a century a man may be ruined or made insufferable by praise. But surely once in a minute something generous dies for want of it.”

Men Want May Made Dies Minutes Century Praise Generosity Generous Ruined Insufferable

Book:Dead Ned and Live and Kicking Ned

Source: Dead Ned and Live and Kicking Ned

“Since the printing press came into being, poetry has ceased to be the delight of the whole community of man; it has become the amusement and delight of the few.”

Men Whole Poetry Community Presses Delight Amusement Printing Printing Press

Author:John Masefield

“Success is the brand on the brow of the man who aimed too low.”

Men Success Leadership He Man Lows Conscience Brands Brows

Author:John Masefield

“Man with his burning soul Has but an hour of breath To build a ship of Truth In which his soul may sail- Sail on the sea of death. For death takes toll Of beauty, courage, youth, Of all but Truth.”

Men May Soul Truth Hours Sea Youth Breaths Ships Burning Sail Tolls

Book:Poems

Source: Poems

About the Author

Born: June 1, 1878
Died: May 12, 1967
Known for: Poet
Quotes: 73

Related Topics

Men Life May Sea Boats And Sailing Earth Made Sailing Sailing And The Sea Sail Ships Soul Stars Boat Children Fire Heart Humans Ifs Laughing

Popular Topics

People Ifs Thinking Knows Men World Way Want Love Life Inspirational Needs Giving Feels Should Writing Trying Years Mind Firsts

Books & Sources

The Collected PoemsRelated source material

Selected poemsRelated source material

Poems by John MasefieldRelated source material

The Poems and Plays of John Masefield: PoemsRelated source material

PoemsRelated source material

John Masefield's letters from the front, 1915-1917Related source material

Letters to ReynaRelated source material

Salt-water BalladsRelated source material

The Midnight FolkRelated source material

Dead Ned and Live and Kicking NedRelated source material

Similar Authors

Francis StokesBrowse related quotes
Hammond InnesBrowse related quotes
Vito DumasBrowse related quotes
Thomas Fleming DayBrowse related quotes
Robin Lee GrahamBrowse related quotes
Bernard MoitessierBrowse related quotes
Charles DavisBrowse related quotes
John RousmaniereBrowse related quotes
Alan VilliersBrowse related quotes
Francis ChichesterBrowse related quotes