Not Waving but Drowning

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"Not Waving but Drowning" is a poem by Stevie Smith published in 1957. Its short, dark story concerns 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. Within a few months after writing this poem, Stevie Smith attempted suicide.

Nobody heard him, the dead man,
But still he lay moaning:
I was much further out than you thought
And not waving but drowning.

Poor chap, he always loved larking
And now he's dead
It must have been too cold for him his heart gave way,
They said.

Oh, no no no, it was too cold always
(Still the dead one lay moaning)
I was much too far out all my life
And not waving but drowning.