"The Sound of the Sea" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

This poem is about someone who loves the sea and is dreaming in awe of it's raw and confusing powers. He describes in great detail of his view of the sea and explains that some things are beyond our reason or control. This poem contains a paradox (a voice out of silence from the sea), personification (the sea awoke), and a simile (as of a cataract from the mountain's side). Longfellow loves the sea but realizes that he will never understand it and that it's out of his control. I think he wants his readers to realize that as much as you try to understand something sometimes you have to respect the fact that you can't control it. The shift happens in line 9 when he stops describing the sea and talking about emotions. The title means that the sea's sounds, like the sea, are unpredictable and uncontrollable. The theme of this poem is some things are out of our hands.

I think he really loves and respects the sea. I think everyone should be passionate about something and the sea inspires him. I really liked all the descriptive words and the use of his paradox.