Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

May Swenson?s Sea is a lyrical meditation on the dual nature of the ocean, embodying both serenity and chaos. Through its contrasting depictions of calm and wild seas, the poem explores human vulnerability, awe, and the magnetic pull of the sublime.

The opening lines set a tranquil tone, as the speaker wades into the sea’s "glossy swells." The calm sea is likened to a "field where the grain ripens ever higher," evoking images of growth, abundance, and a quiet interconnectedness with nature. The metaphor of walking into the sea as if traversing a field emphasizes a sense of harmony and immersion, where boundaries between the human and natural worlds blur. The sea becomes a nurturing, encompassing entity, offering a "secret shade" where the speaker can hide, childlike, among its "motionless roots."

This calmness, however, is temporary, giving way to a starkly different vision of the wild sea. The tone shifts as the sea’s energy erupts into "harsh pelt of sand" and "fetlocks of foam," imagery that anthropomorphizes the ocean as a powerful, untamed beast. Swenson?s use of the horse-like "fetlocks" emphasizes the dynamic and muscular force of the waves. The rhythmic description mirrors the relentless pounding of surf, invoking a sensory experience of sight, sound, and touch.

The poem?s central metaphor of the ocean as a "monumental vase" shattering on the beach encapsulates the tension between creation and destruction. The "enormous bristling scroll" of the wave, with its "icy green" and "darkening to black" interior, embodies the sublime—simultaneously beautiful and terrifying. The delay between the "gap of lightning and thunder" heightens anticipation, capturing a moment of dread and inevitability before the wave’s explosive climax. The sea’s retreat, with its "hissing spate of silver," conveys a sense of temporary withdrawal, a cyclical rhythm that suggests the enduring and ceaseless power of nature.

Swenson’s choice of verbs—"smash," "raking," "sucked"—reinforces the visceral intensity of the wild sea, portraying it as both destructive and alluring. The speaker is irresistibly drawn to the ocean?s "flashing magnet," a metaphor for the seductive pull of danger and annihilation. The final lines encapsulate the paradox of human desire: the yearning to merge with something vast and uncontrollable, even at the risk of personal obliteration.

The poem’s structure mirrors the sea’s duality. The first half unfolds with long, flowing phrases that echo the gentle rhythm of calm waves. In contrast, the latter half employs fragmented, dynamic imagery and shorter, sharper descriptions to reflect the chaos of the wild sea. This structural dichotomy mirrors the thematic exploration of harmony and conflict within the natural world.

Sea reflects Swenson’s fascination with the physicality and mystery of nature, as well as her ability to blend observation with introspection. The poem is both an homage to the ocean’s beauty and a meditation on its capacity for destruction. The speaker’s "hunger" to be engulfed by the sea underscores a universal longing for transcendence—a desire to confront and be consumed by forces greater than oneself. Through its vivid imagery and shifting tones, the poem captures the ocean’s eternal dance between serenity and fury, offering a poignant reflection on humanity’s place within the natural order.

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