John Masefield was England's Poet Laureate when I sat on the dunce's stool br In the class room by the road to Clara in Millstreet's old Primary School br One of the last great rhyme men of literature to the Reaper he has long gone br But long poems such as Reynard the Fox and The Everlasting Mercy and Dauber as testimony to his greatness live on. br br John Masefield was a poet of all English speaking people and not for the English alone br His legacy of words proof of his genius he does share the literary throne br With all of his famous predecessors as a poet he was a true great br With the great poets of the English language John Masefield is one who does rate. br br John Masefield was born in Ledbury and at a young age he went off to sea br The spirit of adventure was in him and a young man of the World was he br Perhaps his inspiration for Dauber a young crew hand and artist who died tragically br The poet of the English speaking masses embraced all of humanity. br br At Toolangi Victoria in the backyard of the great poet C J Dennis John Masefield once planted a tree br A tree that has grown to an adult that I felt quite privileged to see br Two poets long dead though not forgotten since they were the greats of their time br And why not we honour and praise them these marvellous old wordsmiths of rhyme. br br John Masefield was England's Poet Laureate when I was a Primary school going boy br His poems were not for the select few his poems were for all to enjoy br The Widow in the By Street and The Daffodil Fields just two of his great long poems since Masefield he penned many more br And his poems of the sea Saltwater Ballads are read far from England's green shore.