Patrolling Barnegat Walt Whitman

Lesson Objectives To understand the poem To evaluate the language used in the poem To compare the poem to other Lit poems

Patrolling Barnegat - Whitman The poem is set on a beach on a stormy, wintry night. Someone, presumably the poet, is walking alone along the beach through driving snow, looking out to sea across the wild waves. Through the dark, snow and spray he is not quite sure what he sees - possibly a shipwreck, and a distress signal - then what seems to be a group of walkers, braving the storm. There is a real sense of danger and fear.

Form and Rhyme Form Most of Whitman's poetry does not conform to any traditional verse form - he generally wrote free verse. However this poem is an exception: it is a sonnet or poem of 14 lines. Sonnets are often associated with love, so it's interesting that Whitman used this form for a poem that contains violence and confusion. He was recording an experience which was intense, vivid and wild.verse

Form and Rhyme Rhyme Traditionally sonnets have a fairly intricate rhyme scheme. Whitman's sonnet however has just one rhyme throughout - the -ing sound at the end of each line. However because the rhyming syllable at the end of each line is never a stressed syllable the effect is of a series of 'almost-rhymes' or half- rhymes, more like echoes than rhymes. rhymesyllable

Task Annotate the poem – focus on the language and the effect it has on the reader – you have ten minutes to complete this

Patrolling Barnegat Wild, wild the storm, and the sea high running Steady the roar of the gale, with incessant undertone muttering, Shouts of demoniac laughter fitfully piercing and pealing, Waves, air, midnight, their savagest trinity lashing, Out in the shadows there milk-white combs careering, On beachy slush and sand spirts of snow fierce slanting, Where through the murk the easterly death-wind breasting, Through cutting swirl and spray watchful and firm advancing, (That in the distance! is that a wreck? is the red signal flaring?) Slush and sand of the beach tireless till daylight wending, Steadily, slowly, through hoarse roar never remitting, Along the midnight edge by those milk-white combs careering, A group of dim, weird forms, struggling, the night confronting, That savage trinity warily watching.

Questions on Patrolling Barnegat 1.What impression do we get from the title? 2.The poem is written in present tense. What effect does this have? 3.What is the effect of the constant use of present participles (ing?)? 4.How does the poet create a sense of uncertainty? 5. How and why does the poet use repetition? 6.How and why does the poet use alliteration and assonance? 7.Write a paragraph that summarises the imagery used by the poet 8.Write ½ a side that compares this poem to “Storm on the Island”