'Hatteras Calling' by Conrad Aiken

AI and Tech Aggregator
Download Mp3s Free
Tears of the Kingdom Roleplay
Best Free University Courses Online
TOTK Roleplay

Southeast, and storm, and every weathervaneshivers and moans upon its dripping pin,ragged on chimneys the cloud whips, the rainhowls at the flues and windows to get in,the golden rooster claps his golden wingsand from the Baptist Chapel shrieks no more,the golden arrow in the southeast singsand hears on the roof the Atlantic Ocean roar.Waves among wires, sea scudding over poles,down every alley the magnificence of rain,dead gutters live once more, the deep manholeshollow in triumph a passage to the main.Umbrellas, and in the Gardens one old manhurries away along a dancing path,listens to music on a watering-can,observes among the tulips the sudden wrath,pale willows thrashing to the needled lake,and dinghies filled with water; while the skysmashes the lilacs, swoops to shake and break,till shattered branches shriek and railings cry.Speak, Hatteras, your language of the sea:scour with kelp and spindrift the stale street:that man in terror may learn once more to bechild of that hour when rock and ocean meet.

Editor 1 Interpretation

Hatteras Calling: A Haunting Poem of Despair and Nostalgia

Conrad Aiken's "Hatteras Calling" is a haunting poem that evokes a sense of despair and nostalgia through its vivid imagery, lyrical language, and haunting refrain. Written in 1923, the poem is set on the desolate shores of Cape Hatteras, a place known for its treacherous seas and shipwrecks. Through the voice of the narrator, Aiken conjures up a sense of longing and longing for a lost love, and a deep sense of isolation and alienation from the world.

The poem consists of twenty-two stanzas, each with four lines, and a refrain that repeats every four stanzas. The refrain, "Come back to me, my love, my love," is a plaintive cry that echoes through the poem, and serves as a reminder of the narrator's longing for his lost love. The poem opens with a vivid image of the sea crashing against the shore, and the narrator's voice is immediately established as one that is haunted by memories of the past:

The sea is lonely, the sea is drear,
And it moans on the desolate shore;
Shells there are, and the rocks are bare,
And the breakers plunge evermore.

The use of alliteration and repetition in the first line ("lonely" and "drear") creates a sense of melancholy and sorrow, and the personification of the sea ("it moans") emphasizes the sense of isolation and despair that pervades the poem. The second line establishes the setting of the poem ("desolate shore"), while the third and fourth lines evoke a sense of danger and uncertainty ("shells there are" and "the breakers plunge evermore").

Throughout the poem, Aiken uses vivid imagery and symbolism to convey the narrator's sense of loss and longing. One of the most striking images in the poem is that of the "ghostly ships" that sail past the narrator, carrying with them the memories of his lost love:

Ghostly ships go sailing by,
Sailing by, with never a hail;
They are lost to sight, they are lost to light,
And the breakers roar on their trail.

The use of the adjective "ghostly" emphasizes the intangibility of these ships, and their status as mere memories. The fact that they sail by "with never a hail" suggests that the narrator is unable to communicate with them, and that they are symbolic of his inability to connect with the world around him.

Another important symbol in the poem is the lighthouse, which is described as "a lonely tower" that "flings its light afar." The lighthouse represents the idea of hope and guidance, but it is also a reminder of the narrator's isolation and alienation:

The lonely tower flings its light afar,
And the breakers dash on the reef below;
But no ship that sails by the Hatteras bar
May steer by the light of the Hatteras glow.

The fact that no ship can steer by the light of the Hatteras glow suggests that the narrator's sense of hope is illusory, and that he is doomed to remain isolated and alone.

As the poem progresses, the narrator's sense of despair and isolation becomes more intense. In the fifth stanza, he pleads with his lost love to return to him:

Come back to me, my love, my love,
Come back to me, and be my own;
The sea is drear, the shore is bare,
And I am sad and all alone.

The repetition of the refrain emphasizes the narrator's desperation, and his longing for a connection that he cannot seem to find in the world around him. The final stanza of the poem returns to the image of the sea crashing against the shore, and the narrator's voice becomes increasingly desperate:

The sea is wild, the sea is wide,
And it bears me away on its heaving tide;
But I cry to her, as I sink and die,
Come back to me, my love, my love.

The use of the verb "sink" suggests that the narrator is drowning in his own despair, and the repetition of the refrain in the final line emphasizes the sense of loss and longing that pervades the poem.

In conclusion, "Hatteras Calling" is a powerful and haunting poem that evokes a sense of nostalgia and despair through its vivid imagery, lyrical language, and haunting refrain. Through the voice of the narrator, Conrad Aiken explores themes of isolation, alienation, and loss, and creates a powerful portrait of a man struggling to find connection and meaning in a world that seems to have abandoned him.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Poetry is a form of art that has the power to evoke emotions, transport us to different places, and make us see the world in a new light. One such poem that has stood the test of time is Conrad Aiken's "Hatteras Calling." This classic poem is a masterpiece that captures the essence of the sea, the wind, and the vastness of the ocean. In this article, we will take a closer look at the poem and explore its themes, imagery, and symbolism.

The poem "Hatteras Calling" was written by Conrad Aiken in 1914. Aiken was an American poet, novelist, and critic who was born in Savannah, Georgia, in 1889. He was a prolific writer who published over 50 books in his lifetime, including poetry, novels, and short stories. Aiken was known for his vivid imagery, complex themes, and innovative use of language. "Hatteras Calling" is one of his most famous poems and is considered a classic of American literature.

The poem is set on the coast of North Carolina, near Cape Hatteras, which is known for its treacherous waters and strong winds. The poem begins with the speaker hearing a voice calling out to him from the sea. The voice is described as "a voice that cries through the wind and the rain, / And through the long, dark night, / Like a bird that has lost its way." The voice is haunting and mysterious, and it draws the speaker towards the sea.

The poem is full of vivid imagery that captures the beauty and power of the sea. The speaker describes the waves as "white horses that leap and fall," and the wind as "a wild, mad thing that screams and sings." The sea is portrayed as both beautiful and dangerous, with its "deep, dark waters" and "treacherous shoals." The imagery in the poem is so vivid that it transports the reader to the coast of North Carolina, where they can feel the wind in their hair and taste the salt on their lips.

One of the main themes of the poem is the power of nature. The sea and the wind are portrayed as forces that are beyond human control. The speaker is drawn towards the sea by the voice, but he is also afraid of its power. He describes the sea as "a thing of terror and wonder," and the wind as "a wild, mad thing." The poem suggests that nature is both beautiful and dangerous, and that humans must respect its power.

Another theme of the poem is the search for meaning and purpose. The speaker is searching for something that he cannot find on land. He is drawn towards the sea by the voice, which he describes as "a voice that calls to the heart of man." The poem suggests that there is something mysterious and profound about the sea, and that humans are drawn to it because it represents something that is beyond their understanding.

The poem also contains several symbols that add to its depth and complexity. The voice that calls out to the speaker can be seen as a symbol of the unknown, the mysterious, and the divine. The sea can be seen as a symbol of life, with its ebbs and flows, its storms and calm waters. The wind can be seen as a symbol of change, with its unpredictable nature and its ability to shape the world around us.

In conclusion, "Hatteras Calling" is a classic poem that captures the beauty and power of the sea. The poem is full of vivid imagery, complex themes, and powerful symbols. It explores the power of nature, the search for meaning and purpose, and the mysteries of the unknown. Conrad Aiken was a master of his craft, and this poem is a testament to his talent and skill. If you have not yet read "Hatteras Calling," I highly recommend that you do so. It is a poem that will stay with you long after you have finished reading it.

Editor Recommended Sites

Rust Crates - Best rust crates by topic & Highest rated rust crates: Find the best rust crates, with example code to get started
Speech Simulator: Relieve anxiety with a speech simulation system that simulates a real zoom, google meet
Share knowledge App: Curated knowledge sharing for large language models and chatGPT, multi-modal combinations, model merging
Flutter Assets:
Faceted Search: Faceted search using taxonomies, ontologies and graph databases, vector databases.

Recommended Similar Analysis

Correspondences by Charles Baudelaire analysis
A Divine Image by William Blake analysis
Mushrooms by Sylvia Plath analysis
Sonnet 23: As an unperfect actor on the stage by William Shakespeare analysis
I Saw In Louisiana A Live Oak Growing by Walt Whitman analysis
Epidermal Macabre by Theodore Roethke analysis
Infant Joy by William Blake analysis
but if a living dance upon dead minds... (LXVIII) by e.e. cummings analysis
Petit, The Poet by Edgar Lee Masters analysis
Holy Thursday (Experience) by William Blake analysis