Stars in the Sea
I took a boat on a starry night
And went for a row on the water,
And she danced like a child on a wake of light
And bowed where the ripples caught her.
I vowed as I rowed on the velvet blue
Through the night and the starry splendour,
To woo and sue a maiden I knew
Till she bent to my pleadings tender.
My painted boat she was light and glad,
And gladder my heart with wishing,
And I came in time to a little lad
Who stood on the rocks a-fishing.
I said "Ahoy!" and he said "Ahoy!"
And I asked how the fish were biting;
"And what are you trying to catch, my boy,
Bream, silver and red – or whiting?"
"Neither," he answered, "the seaweed mars
My line and the sharp shells sunder —
I am trying my luck with those great big stars
Down there in the round skies under."
"Good-bye! from him, and "Good-bye!" from me,
And never a laugh came after;
So many go fishing for stars in the sea
That it's hardly a subject for laughter.
This work is in the public domain in Australia because it was created in Australia and the term of copyright has expired. According to Australian Copyright Council - Duration of Copyright, the following works are public domain:
- published non-government works whose author died before January 1, 1955,
- anonymous or pseudonymous works and photographs published before January 1, 1955, and
- government works published more than 50 years ago (before January 1, 1974).
This work is also in the public domain in the United States because it was first published outside the United States (and not published in the U.S. within 30 days), and it was first published before 1989 without complying with U.S. copyright formalities (renewal and/or copyright notice) and it was in the public domain in Australia on the URAA date (January 1, 1996). This is the combined effect of Australia having joined the Berne Convention in 1928, and of 17 USC 104A with its critical date of January 1, 1996.
Because the Australian copyright term in 1996 was 50 years, the critical date for copyright in the United States under the URAA is January 1, 1946.
This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.
Public domainPublic domainfalsefalse
This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1929.
The longest-living author of this work died in 1949, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 74 years or less. This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.
Public domainPublic domainfalsefalse