Not Waving But Drowning

Nobody heard him, the dead man,

But still he lay moaning:

I was much further out than you thought

And not waving but drowning.

 

Poor chap, he always loved larking

And now he’s dead

It must have been too cold for him his heart gave way,

They said.

 

Oh, no no no, it was too cold always

(Still the dead one lay moaning)

I was much too far out all my life

And not waving but drowning.

Bibliographical info

Stevie Smith, “Not Waving but Drowning” from New Selected Poems of Stevie Smith. Copyright © 1988 New Directions Publishing Corporation.

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