Noon

This poem depicts a navigator at sea and aims to describe how the sun's movement creates a challenge for navigation.

Lines 1-4: The time on shore (represented by the "landsman's mark" on a clock tower) is irrelevant to the sailor at this moment. The sun is on its daily journey (diurnal path) rising towards its highest point in the sky (zenith). This moment is not 12 o'clock but varies daily, subject to the ship's longitude and the local time observed on the ship.

Lines 5-8: The sailor struggles against the rough seas (unruly heaving, pitch and roll) and the wind. Despite the challenges, he must use the sextant (a navigational instrument) to observe the sun's position (hold her in my sextant's eye).

Lines 9-12: He follows the sun's steady movement (stately progress) towards its peak (summit of the day). He can calculate his latitude by observing the sun's altitude at its peak (crossing his meridian). This is a crucial step in celestial navigation.


Noon

The sun spurns the landsman’s mark,
Of the clock tower’s hourly chime,
To follow her diurnal path,
And to her glorious zenith climb.

I, braced against the deck’s, 
Unruly heaving, pitch and roll,
Stand bullied by the biting wind,
To hold her in my sextant’s eye. 

I thrill at her stately progress,
Towards the summit of the day, 
And bear witness to her crossing,
My meridian on her way.

Photo: Author





Location: Pacific Ocean

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