Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Derek Walcott’s "Harbour" is a contemplative poem that uses the metaphor of the sea to explore themes of emotional distance, the complexities of love, and the passage of time. The poem’s tone is quiet and reflective, drawing parallels between the stillness of fishermen rowing homeward at dusk and the speaker's own journey through a personal emotional landscape. The speaker’s musings are tinged with resignation and a sense of detachment, as he navigates the "crueller" waters of love and time.

The poem opens with a serene image of fishermen "rowing homeward in the dusk." These men, focused on their physical labor, "do not consider the stillness through which they move." The speaker, identifying with this lack of awareness, suggests that feelings can similarly "drown" in the flow of time and experience. The metaphor of the sea and rowing creates a rhythm that mirrors the steady, unthinking motion of moving through life and relationships. Just as the fishermen are indifferent to the calm around them, the speaker acknowledges that he, too, should no longer seek the emotional safety that once existed, symbolized by the "safe twilight which your calm hands gave." This line subtly suggests a past relationship or connection that provided comfort but has since been lost or outgrown.

The night, described as the "urger of old lies," becomes a figure that facilitates self-deception or nostalgia, and the stars that "sentry the humped hills" serve as distant, impassive witnesses to the passage of time. The speaker suggests that the night, though traditionally associated with reflection and secrets, "should hear no secret faring-forth." This implies that the speaker is attempting to move beyond the emotional turmoil of love, acknowledging the "bitter and sly sea" of time, which erodes even the strongest emotions. The phrase "love raises walls" evokes the barriers and defenses that love can build, but these walls, in the context of the poem, seem to be fragile, easily swept away by the relentless tides of time and change.

The poem’s second stanza shifts the focus from the speaker’s internal reflections to the perspective of others who may be observing his outward journey. These "others," who are secure and safe, perhaps represent those who have found stability in life or love. The speaker suggests that these observers might see in him the "calm" that his outward progress creates, even though this calm is, in fact, an illusion—what he calls an "antique hoax." This phrase suggests that the speaker’s passage through life and love, like that of many others before him, is part of an ancient pattern, a recurring deception in which calmness and control mask deeper emotional turbulence.

The final lines reinforce this idea of deception and hidden struggle. Those who are "secure from thinking"—those who do not confront their own emotional complexities—may continue to sail safely through life, much like passengers on "liners." They hear only "small rumours of paddles drowned near stars," suggesting that the struggles of others, symbolized by the drowning paddles, are distant, barely perceptible, and ultimately insignificant in their own secure existence. The stars, again, appear as distant, impassive observers, indifferent to the small tragedies of human life.

"Harbour" is a meditation on the ways in which people move through the emotional landscapes of love, loss, and time. Through the metaphor of the sea, Walcott explores how individuals cope with feelings of detachment and isolation, and how outward calm can hide deeper struggles. The poem captures the tension between the external appearance of serenity and the internal experience of navigating difficult emotions, all within the broader context of time’s relentless passage.

Copyright (c) 2025 PoetryExplorer

Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!

Other Poems of Interest...