Poetry Explorer


Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

TIDE OF VOICES, by                 Poet's Biography


"Tide of Voices" by Lynda Hull is a deeply evocative poem that intertwines themes of memory, loss, and the quest for redemption against the backdrop of the Hudson River's changing landscape. Through a blend of personal reflection and broader social commentary, Hull crafts a narrative that explores the complex relationship between the past and the present, the individual and the communal, and the tangible and the ethereal.

The poem opens with a scene of urban tranquility and intimacy, as the speaker and their companion drink bourbon on a terrace at dusk, the moment when "buildings turn abstract" and the Hudson appears "formal." This serene setting is disrupted by the mention of a plan to harvest oysters from the harbor, symbolizing efforts to cleanse and renew the polluted waters—a metaphor for the possibility of regeneration and healing.

The narrative takes a darker turn with the recollection of watching the police "drag the river for a suicide, the third this year." The image of the "terrible hook" and the "boy’s frail whiteness" starkly contrasts with the earlier discussion of environmental restoration, highlighting the river's role as a witness to human tragedy and despair.

Hull masterfully uses the river as a metaphor for the flow of memory and history, carrying both the "tender and broken histories" of those lost to its depths and the collective aspiration for a cleaner, renewed future. The poem suggests that just as the river holds the potential for physical cleansing, so too does it offer a pathway for emotional and spiritual renewal.

The speaker's need to "move next to you" in the wake of witnessing the recovery of the boy's body speaks to the human need for connection and comfort in the face of mortality and loss. This gesture of seeking closeness underscores the poem's exploration of how personal relationships and shared experiences can provide solace and meaning amidst the broader currents of life and death.

"Tide of Voices" culminates in the contemplation of how the dead "rise to us, transformed: wet and singing," suggesting that those we have lost continue to influence and shape us, their voices merging with the living to form a continuous, flowing narrative of existence. This "tide of voices" serves as a powerful symbol of the interconnectedness of all life, the persistence of memory, and the enduring impact of love and loss.

Through its lyrical language, rich imagery, and profound thematic depth, "Tide of Voices" invites readers to reflect on the ways in which the past permeates the present, the natural world mirrors our inner landscapes, and the act of remembering can serve as both a form of mourning and a means of transcendence. Lynda Hull's poem is a poignant meditation on the cycles of life and death, the beauty and pain of human experience, and the eternal flow of the river of memory.


Copyright (c) 2025 PoetryExplorer





Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!


Other Poems of Interest...



Home: PoetryExplorer.net