A brackish reach of shoal off Madaket-- The sea was still breaking violently and night Had steamed into our North Atlantic Fleet, When the drowned sailor clutched the drag-net. Light Flashed from his matted head and marble feet, He grappled at the net With the coiled, hurdling muscles of his thighs: The corpse was bloodless, a botch of reds and whites, Its open, staring eyes Were lustreless dead-lights Or cabin-windows on a stranded hulk Heavy with sand.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- The dead sailor's body contrasts violently with the sea, highlighting mortality and loss.
- In plain terms
- A drowned sailor's body is found among the sea, showing death clearly.
- What can you take from it?
- Death in nature is stark and unavoidable.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How does nature reflect our fragility?
- What remains after life ends?
Another view
The imagery focuses on physical decay which some may find heavy.
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