Not Waving but Drowning

Not Waving but Drowning is one of the finest poems by Stevie Smith. Its short darkly humorous story is about a man whose thrashing - whilst drowning in the sea - is mistaken for waving by people on the shore. It is also clear that this is a metaphor for any situation in which a cry for help is misinterpreted or ignored by friends and family.

This poem has also been recorded by the singer-songwriter Vic Chesnutt.

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