Sea poems attend to water in motion, the edge of a shore, a vessel crossing, or a horizon that seems beyond reach. The scene may hold work, travel, danger, longing, or a moment of quiet attention.
Browse the examples below and notice where the speaker encounters the sea. Sound, salt, wind, and light can make a particular place vivid. Consider whether the water offers a route, a boundary, a source of life, or a view that changes how the speaker understands distance.
waves crashing on the shore
covered in seagulls galore
sand washing away to be seen nevermore
with the waves crashing on the shore
beyond the tide and the endless sea was a place unexplored by me
a small island free but lonely
acompanyed by its little sprouts
beyond the waves crashing on the shore
At midnight, the sea draws back its dark hem, exposing wet stones and mangrove roots. Each wave revises what I thought I understood. I search the shore for something certain, reading each mark as though it were meant for me. I wait for a sentence that will stay.
perhaps
I ask too much of the shore
to make its silence certain
words may hide my doubt
do I wait
for an answer or permission to be still
The childhood trips remembered most:
the channel islands off the coast.
Embarking from Redondo Beach,
most were within a one day’s reach.
Though absent wind, the distance grew;
a one-day trip could stretch to two.
Too much, the seas would chop and swell,
and that could be a queasy hell.
But land ahoy! We’d come alee
and gain some shelter from the sea.
Drop anchor in a quiet cove,
make egg burritos on the stove.
Then beach the dinghy on the sand,
and practice skipping rocks by hand.
At night, a tinkle in the sea
brought phosphorescent shouts of glee.
The stars, like diamonds, sparkled bright
far from the bustling city lights.
The sleeping bags, the damp, the cold
add to the fun at ten years old.
The time flew past; before you know
it’s Sunday morning: time to go.
With anchor up and mainsail taut,
the isle recedes, a distant dot.
The thought of school might bring despair
one thought kept me from going there:
for I was sure no classmates had
a childhood sailing with their dad!
Good riddance to the shouts and screams
And panic all aboard,
Good riddance to abandoned dreams
And crying to the Lord.
Good riddance to the going down
Below the heartless waves,
Good riddance to the fear we drown
Like ancient galley slaves.
Good riddance to the freezing cold,
To the collapsing lung,
And to the nightmares sevenfold,
The life-song being sung.
Good welcome to the leagues of depth
That spread like soothing balm
And that provide through liquid death
Tranquility and calm.
do you want to go the seaside
i’m not trying to say we needed anything more
we found fossils by the shoreline
with nowhere else to be
and you bought another postcard
like you always do
we planned it with what little we had
counted every pound
made a whole day out of almost nothing
and somehow
it was everything
i think that’s what i’ll remember
not how much we spent
or where we went
just you beside me
whitby in front of us
and the feeling that we’d got everything right
and so there we were
looking down upon the empty streets
the seaside by your side
me laying beside you
thinking about whitby
the fossils in your hands
the postcard in your bag
the little journey we made
with almost nothing
do you want to go the seaside
i’m not trying to say we needed anything more
we found fossils by the shoreline
with nowhere else to be
and somehow
it was everything
We sailed the Seven Seas,
Beneath a sea of stars.
Upon an astral breeze,
A sailing ship to Mars.
Our cosmic Captain quipped,
We're heading for the stars!
The Milky Way was dipped,
In creamy chocolate bars.
The Captain earned his wings,
The crew had earned their scars.
We sailed thru Saturn's rings,
And hitched a ride to Mars.
Too drunk to find our way,
Left Pluto in the bar.
We found the keys on Ray,
Where did he park the star?
This sailor loves his Bali hook
I know the aches and pains it took
I flashed the mirror for a check
I found a treasure round my neck
So let me thank you for this gift
You gave my humble heart a lift
I crave the sand between my toes
In Bali where the sunset goes
My review sent to Bali for my hand carved necklace.
The hook represents a love and connection to the sea.
Each necklace sold helps save the Coral Triangle.
How cool is that?
Horizon lines meld,
shimmers of color;
orange rays sink low,
caress gray-blue brine:
mirrored apricot
and salmon sunset.
Faye Lanham Gibson
Copyright 9/30/2026
For Color My World poetry contest, Nette Onclaud, sponsor
Blue called a meeting at half past two.
The moon borrowed a beam
for light inside the house.
The sea arrived on a horse.
Its tail curled up tight.
The sky was a writer.
It always had a pen.
The rain rushed in, his storm coat
dripping on the floor.
The wave measured its length
rushing through the door.
The cloud looked like it would burst.
It had been eating all day.
“The minutes?” Blue asked.
The sky had written them.
The wind had other ideas.
tide breath on my skin~
the sea lifts its silver voice,
teaching me to rest
Nothing straight, even sightly
Hangs now over me.
As twisty, Moonah-shaded
Which gouged path below.
So awaits, and breath-stilling
Hot-blown, face, writhing
For prospects, unseeable
What, sea-cool, must show!
bet. aireys inlet and anglesea
My heart's at half-mast for dear Molly McGee
Who was drawn and quartered and buried at sea
They thought her a temptress, known only to me
Convicted of mischief and skulduggery
So, I dropped to my knees and prayed to the Lord
Tho, devout as I was, my prayers were ignored
I bowed to the Captain, I begged and implored
But watched my dear Molly, get dumped overboard
Then I shouted her name and jumped in the sea
And followed the body of Molly McGee
Two lovers united, where hearts can be free
Our souls are now mingled, my Molly and me
SOUS LA MER
(The Siren's Song)
If your quiet
And very still
I'll let you lie
And listen
In these sheets
I hear the sea
Waves break clean
Call to me
But I will stay
And fool them
Lie and dream
For one more day
How they weep
With loneliness
Cold and clear
The words they say
Why I must leave
A promise made
But I will stay
And fool them
Lie and dream
For one more day
The Siren's song
Now lay their hands
Fingers long
Scratch like sand
Upon their breasts
Scallop shells
Held by lies
And little else
Coral beads
Wove in their hair
Far off reefs
Sous la mer
But I will stay
And fool them
Lie and dream
For one more day
Thrilled to travel to a coastal region in India, I was only six…
with my mother and a little sister, lived in relative's palatial bungalow,
admired lace curtains with hand-embroidered pictures of deer and peacocks,
plush carpeted floors, elegant furniture with glass-top tables…
what took my breath away was the evening stroll, a few minutes walk
to the beach, frolic with sapphire waves lapping on the shore!
couldn't race back fast enough as we, giggling, chased the waves, slipped,
got fully drenched, bodies covered with sand, still rapturously amused!
sublime chimes from a temple announcing evening-prayer mesmerized senses,
taste-buds were satisfied with plain but mouth-watering treats -
luscious fruits, crunchy nuts, pieces of sweets, savoury bites,
I still hear the splashing waves, when holding the conch I collected, to my ear,
remember the ethereal colour of the vermilion sunset on the horizon,
lonely fishing boats sailing far away in the sea as if with no destination,
emerald water and amber sky touching each other in an embrace.
rough sea waves heave
a deadly shark appears
a predator rapes an innocent
Sea Categories
Read wonderful sea poetry on the following sub-topics:
beautiful, funeral, inspired, life, love, rhyme, romantic, sailing, turtle, under the,
and more.
Definition | What is Sea in Poetry?
Looking for the formal definition, structure, and history of this poetry form? Visit the Poetry Dictionary entry below. Then return to explore how PoetrySoup members bring the form to life through their own poems.
Related Poetry Forms
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