The strength of the wind is seen throughout the poem by several images, portrayed from having the strength to destroy man-made things to affecting the natural landscape. The storm has the force of moving “the roots of the house” and put the people to “grip Our (their) hearts” This image is capable of showing the contrast between the powers of nature over men. Also nature itself was affected by the strength of the wind, “the hills had new places”. This image is used to show the great effects the storm had, even on the natural hills.
The whole environment is personified by the author through a couple more images, at first the wind and then the landscape. At night the “winds (were) stampeding” through the fields and at day the “stones cry out”, here the wind is put and seen in power of nature itself and of course humans. This gives to the reader the sense that the wind is alive and powerful.
The poem begins at night but shifts between the day cycle, many images of it are given to us, such as “ darkness, black, wet” to represent the night. Whereas at the day the sky is ”orange” and there is “luminous black and emerald” but as the day continues, “At noon”, the skyline showed a “grimace”, an expression for pain since “at any second to bang and vanish with a flap”. Also later this idea of tension is repeated when it is said that at “any second would shatter it”. This not only shows the progression of the day but also how tense the poem is, since anything can drastically change without notice.
The punctuation of the poem enhances the tone and themes of the poem. The constant running over of lines into the next, lacking any punctuation is representing the idea of the time flowing, “blinding wet Till day rose”. There is no pause between these two lines, meaning the storm kept going until the sunrise. Throughout the poem there is very little punctuation but many monosyllabic words. This is to give as much flow to the poem’s structure as possible, as well as to the meaning of it, but at the same time giving it a sense of calmness and tranquillity in the daytime. 1This can be shown by the image of the “black- Back gull bent like an iron bar slowly”
In conclusion, the poem is effective since it contrasts the power between nature and men through several images and certain diction. It develops a certain tone, depending on the time of the day. In my opinion, it conveys to the reader a sense of overwhelm by nature but at the same time calmness through the structural aspect of the poem.
580 words
by
rodinho1994 (student)
