Electric Fever

Discussion in 'OnBoard Electronics & Controls' started by brian eiland, May 20, 2009.

  1. brian eiland
    Joined: Jun 2002
    Posts: 5,067
    Likes: 216, Points: 73, Legacy Rep: 1903
    Location: St Augustine Fl, Thailand

    brian eiland Senior Member

    I originally posted this poem back in 2007 on the Maltese Falcon subject thread. I thought it was so apropose' .

    I did not know the author of the poem, even though I had tried to find out. Tonight, out of the blue, I got this email,
    You have posted a copy of my poem "Electric Fever," a parody of John Masefield's "Sea Fever." This poem first appeared in the Commodores Bulletin of the SSCA and has since been reproduced in many places. Your version has a few errors, so I have attached the correct version to this email. I have no objection to your posting it, but please provide its name and author's name too.

    Thanks, Jerry Hickson

    __________________________________________
    ..and with that introduction I give you his very funny poem again...

    Electric Fever

    I must go down to the seas again, in a modern high‑tech boat,
    And all I ask is electric, for comfort while afloat,
    And alternators, and solar panels, and generators going,
    And deep cycle batteries with many amperes flowing.

    I must go down to the seas again, to the autopilot's ways,
    And all I ask is a GPS, and a radar, and displays,
    And a cell phone, and a weatherfax, and a short wave radio,
    And compact disks, computer games, and TV videos.

    I must go down to the seas again, with a freezer full of steaks,
    And all I ask is a microwave, and a blender for milkshakes,
    And a watermaker, air‑conditioner, hot water in the sink,
    And E‑mail and a VHF to see what my buddies think.

    I must go down to the seas again, with power‑furling sails,
    And chart displays of all the seas, and a bullhorn for loud hails,
    And motors pulling anchor chains, and push‑button sheets,
    And programs which take full control of tacking during beats.

    I must go down to the seas again, and not leave friends behind,
    And so they never get seasick we'll use the web on‑line,
    And all I ask is an Internet with satellites over me,
    And beaming all the data up, my friends sail virtually.

    I must go down to the seas again, record the humpback whales,
    Compute until I decipher their language and their tales,
    And learn to sing in harmony, converse beneath the waves,
    And befriend the gentle giants as my synthesizer plays.

    I must go down to the seas again, with RAM in gigabytes,
    And teraflops of processing for hobbies that I like,
    And software suiting all my wants, seated at my console
    And pushing on the buttons which give me complete control.

    I must go down to the seas again, my concept seems quite sound,
    But when I simulate this boat some problems I have found,
    The cost is astronomical, repairs will never stop,
    Instead of going sailing I'll be shackled to the dock.

    I must go down to the seas again, how can I get away?
    Must I be locked in low‑tech boats until my dying day?
    Is there no cure for my complaint, no technologic fix?
    Oh I fear electric fever is a habit I can't kick.

    Jerry Hickson


    ...my website's introductory page features the poem 'Sea Fever', the Call of the Running Tide
     
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