How are nature and its effects explored in the poems Patrolling Barnegat and Storm on the Island?
Introduction
Both of the poems were written in the present tense. In Patrolling Barnegat, the events of the poem are being described as they happen, for example, “A group of dim, weird forms”. Also, In Storm on the Island, they are many examples of the use of the present tense, for example, “We are prepared”. In both of the poems, the use of the present tense fills us with uncertainty about what will happen next and conveys a sense of drama to us.
The storyline is very similar in both of the poems. They are both centred on storms at sea. In Patrolling Barnegat, we find this out on the first line, “Wild, wild the storm, and the sea high running”. In Heaney’s poem, we learn about the poems storyline in the title, Storm on the Island. Yet, on the other hand, there are some stark differences in the storylines. In Whitman’s case, he is outside, on the beach, in the centre of the action. Meanwhile, Heaney has prepared for the storm; he is inside, protected in his house, “We are prepared: we build our houses squat” (I believe this is an indication that there area is partial to storms, that they have experienced them before)
