The poem basically tells the story of the death of the captain of a ship's crew. The speaker of the poem is a sailor from the ship's crew. He sadly mourns the death of his respectful captain. The dark and dreary atmospheres are keenly felt throughout the poem as the speaker laments the death of the captain. The poem begins with the speaker calling to his captain that they have finally returned home after their "fearful voyage." The boat is in sight of land and the people on the shore watch it approach, clapping and ringing church bells. However, as it approaches the shore, the boat is described as "ominous and daring," as if the speaker is warning that something terrible is about to happen. And as terrible as it is, the captain on the bridge is dead. The speaker kneels beside the captain and begs him to get up. He can't accept the fact that his captain is dead and feels like he's dreaming. The ship finally arrives safely at port and its dangerous and difficult journey is over. Despite the captain's death, the speaker wants the shore to continue celebrating ...