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Where Go the Boats? is a poem by Robert Louis Stevenson, published in 1913 in his collection A Child's Garden of Verses. The poem is in the public domain and has been set to music for SATB a cappella chorus. It paints a picturesque scene with its opening lines: Dark brown is the river, / Golden is the sand. / It flows along forever, / With trees on either hand.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Poem Title | Where Go the Boats? |
| Author | Robert Louis Stevenson |
| Poem Type | A Cappella Chorus |
| Poem Theme | Childhood |
| Poem Style | Lyrical, Descriptive |
| Poem Structure | Free Verse, Rhyming |
| Poem Tone | Nostalgic, Whimsical |
| Main Idea | The speaker wonders where their boats will come home as they observe a river flowing endlessly. |
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A child's boats floating away
The river flows forever, its dark brown waters winding past golden sands, trees, and castles of foam. The boats sail on, carried by the current, perhaps to a distant mill, down a valley, or over a hill. But what of the child's boats—those little vessels set adrift with dreams and wonder?
As the boats journey further, the scenery changes. The river narrows, and the trees part, revealing a hidden waterfall. The boats tumble over the edge, splashing into the pool below, where they find a moment's rest. But their journey is not over yet.
The current picks up again, and the boats are swept along, now racing through rocky passages, the spray of the river cooling their wooden hulls. They pass under a stone bridge, its ancient arches echoing with the sound of the rushing water. The river widens once more, and the boats find themselves in a tranquil lake, where swans gracefully swim and water lilies bloom.
But where do the boats go from here? The river continues, meandering through the countryside, and eventually, the boats reach a distant shore. Here, other children await, eager to welcome the boats and their stories. The child's boats, now rich with adventures, have found a new home, and their journeys become tales to be shared and cherished.
And so, the river flows, carrying with it not just boats but memories, dreams, and the endless possibilities that a child's imagination can create.
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The river
This river is described as flowing endlessly, with trees lining its banks: "It flows along forever, With trees on either hand". The speaker paints a picture of a serene, natural setting, where the river meanders through the landscape, perhaps on its own journey of exploration. The trees, mentioned twice in the poem, stand as silent sentinels, bearing witness to the river's unceasing flow.
The speaker's boats are also a part of this river's story. The boats, described as "a-boating", raise the question of their eventual homecoming: "Boats of mine a-boating—Where will all come home?". This query adds a layer of intrigue to the river's journey, as if the speaker is sending their boats on an expedition of discovery, anticipating their return with tales of distant lands.
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Loss and yearning
"Where Go the Boats?" by Robert Louis Stevenson is a poem that captures a sense of loss and yearning. The poem's imagery of a river flowing endlessly forward, carrying boats that may never return, evokes a feeling of something beloved being carried away, perhaps never to return. The river, described as "dark brown," stands in contrast to the "golden" sand on its banks, creating a vivid picture of nature's beauty and power. The poem speaks to the universal experience of loss and the longing for a return to happier times.
The second stanza continues the theme of loss and yearning:
> "Green leaves a-floating,
> Castles of the foam,
> Boats of mine a-boating—
> Where will all come home?
> On goes the river
> And out past the mill,
> Away down the valley,
> Away down the hill."
Here, the speaker wonders where the boats will ultimately find their rest, as they continue downstream, past familiar landmarks, and further away from the speaker's reach. The image of "green leaves a-floating" adds to the sense of transience and the passing of time, as leaves drift downstream, carried by the current, just like the boats. The "castles of foam" are fleeting and ephemeral, contrasting with the enduring river, and perhaps symbolizing the fragility of the speaker's hopes and dreams.
The third stanza introduces the idea that other children will eventually recover the boats:
> "Away down the river,
> A hundred miles or more,
> Other little children
> Shall bring my boats ashore."
This stanza suggests that the speaker may never see their boats again, as they will be found by children far away, perhaps in a distant land. The river, which first began its journey "past the mill" and "down the valley", now stretches "a hundred miles or more", emphasizing the sense of distance and loss. The poem ends on a note of resignation, as the speaker accepts that their boats, and perhaps a part of their childhood, are gone forever.
"Where Go the Boats?" is a poignant reminder of how loss and yearning can be intertwined. The speaker's boats, set adrift on a river that flows relentlessly forward, represent opportunities missed, memories cherished, and dreams yet unfulfilled. The poem's imagery of nature's beauty and power serves as a backdrop to the human experience of longing and the passage of time.
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Other children
The poem "Where Go the Boats?" by Robert Louis Stevenson is a whimsical piece that captures the imagination of children playing with toy boats. The final stanza of the poem reveals the role of "other little children" in this imaginative world:
"Away down the river,
A hundred miles or more,
Other little children
Shall bring my boats ashore."
In these lines, the speaker of the poem, who is likely a child themselves, imagines their toy boats travelling a great distance down the river. The boats' journey takes them "away down the valley" and "away down the hill", eventually reaching a place where they will be found and retrieved by other children.
The mention of "other little children" adds a sense of community and connection to the poem. It suggests that the speaker is aware that their playtime is part of a larger world, where other children in far-off places will continue the adventures of their toy boats. This idea of shared play and imagination across distances is endearing and heartwarming.
The poem's imagery of a dark brown river, golden sand, green leaves, and foam castles creates a vivid picture of a child's imaginative landscape. The river, with its endless flow, becomes a symbol of childhood dreams and adventures, carrying the boats to unknown destinations where they will be discovered by new friends.
The "other little children" in the poem represent the unknown future playmates of the speaker's boats. They symbolise the continuation of play and imagination, even as the boats travel far from their original home. This stanza captures the essence of childhood—a time when simple toys and a vivid imagination can create endless possibilities for fun and exploration.
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The unknown
"Where Go the Boats?" is a poem by Robert Louis Stevenson, published in 1913 as part of his collection, "A Child's Garden of Verses". The poem explores the unknown through a child's perspective, using imagery and wonder to contemplate the journey of boats down a river.
The first stanza sets the scene: "Dark brown is the river, Golden is the sand. It flows along forever, With trees on either hand." Here, the unknown is presented as a mysterious, ever-flowing river, an entity that continues on its path regardless of the speaker's understanding of it. The river's dark brown colour and the contrasting golden sand create a vivid, sensory image, inviting the reader to embark on a journey into the unknown alongside the speaker.
The second stanza introduces the idea of floating green leaves, foam castles, and boats belonging to the speaker, asking, "Where will all come home?" This stanza reflects on the unknown fate of these objects, carried by the relentless river. The speaker wonders if their boats will ever return, emphasizing the sense of mystery and uncertainty surrounding the river's path.
The third stanza continues the journey: "On goes the river, And out past the mill, Away down the valley, Away down the hill." Here, the river's course takes it further into the unknown, past familiar landmarks like the mill, down into valleys and hills. The speaker follows the river's path in their imagination, emphasizing the sense of adventure and exploration.
The final stanza introduces other little children who will bring the boats ashore a hundred miles or more downstream. This conclusion offers a sense of comfort and resolution to the unknown journey. The speaker imagines other children playing with their boats, suggesting a cycle of wonder and exploration that connects all curious young minds.
Through this poem, Stevenson captures the essence of childhood curiosity and the unknown, using the river as a metaphor for life's journey, full of mysteries and adventures. The speaker's contemplation of the river's path and the boats' fate invites readers to embrace the unknown, to find wonder in the world, and to accept that, sometimes, we may not know where things are headed, but there is beauty and comfort in that very uncertainty.
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Frequently asked questions
Robert Louis Stevenson wrote 'Where Go the Boats'. Stevenson was a Scottish writer, artist and travel essayist.
'Where Go the Boats' is about a child's boats cruising down a waterway. The child watches them, wondering when they will return, and then acknowledges that they will never come back. The poem reflects on love and
Stevenson was born in Scotland but lived in London and Samoa. He suffered from serious bronchial difficulty and tuberculosis, so he often travelled to warmer climes for his health. His experiences in France and the South Seas inspired many of his stories and essays.
