Pre 1914 Poetry

Patrolling Barnegat
Walt Whitman, 1856
 Background to the poem
The poet describes a wild storm whilst
patrolling a bay on the coast of New
Jersey where the poet lived for many
years.

There is a great deal of alliteration which

is used to mirror the noise of the sea as
it hits the sand on a beach. As the ‘s’
makes this noise, we call it a sibilant ‘s’-
meaning it makes a hissing sound.
 1st line – 10 syllables as in a sonnet
but rhythm is broken. Reflects the
Patrolling Barneget storm.
Repetition
emphasises ferocity Personification
of the storm. Wild, wild the storm, and the high sea running,
Steady the roar of the gale, with incessant undertone muttering,
Metaphor links
wild storm Shouts of demoniac laughter fitfully piercing and pealing, Alliteration
sounds to
Waves, air, midnight, their savagest trinity laughing,
shouts of Contrast between images.
demons. Out in the shadows there milk-white combs careering,
On beachy slush and sand spirits of snow fierce slanting, More alliteration –
reflects sounds of
Question creates Where through the murk the easterly death-wind breasting, storm.
a sense of
Through cutting swirl and spray watchful and firm advancing,
immediacy & Connotations of
change of tone. (That in the distance! Is that a wreck? is the red signal flaring?) red – warning
Signals signal or sign of
Slush and sand of the beach tireless till daylight wending,
uncertainty / distress?
tension. Steadily, slowly, through hoarse roar never remitting,
Along the midnight edge by those milk-white combs careering,
Alliteration to Repetition –
emphasise the A group of dim, weird forms, struggling, the night confronting, why?
constant action Relentless /
That savage trinity warily watching.
of the storm & Image reinforces repetitive
suggests sound Why repeated? Why wary? atmosphere of threat – nature of
of sea on sand. What is the Stillness – uncertainty. The storm.
symbolic expectation. unknown.
significance?