# First Sight of the Sea explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by George MacDonald.

## What happens

The speaker recalls a childhood memory of first encountering the sea, describing the overwhelming sensory experience and the profound, lasting impact it had on them, marking a transition from childish innocence to a deeper, immortal connection with nature's power.

## Themes in this chapter

### Childhood and Innocence

The poem begins with a childhood memory of first seeing the sea, and the speaker 'flings childish records by' as they are transformed by the experience.

### Nature as Divine Revelation

The sea is described as having a 'mysterious tongue' and an 'awful power' that the speaker claims as an 'immortal dower,' suggesting a divine or transcendent revelation through nature.

## Character check-ins

### Unknown

The speaker who recalls the childhood memory of first seeing the sea.

## Key lines

> I do remember how, when very young, I saw the great sea first, and heard its swell As I drew nearer, caught within the spell Of its vast size and its mysterious tongue.

I recall as a young child seeing the ocean for the first time, and as I approached, I was captivated by its immense size and the enigmatic sound of its waves.

_The speaker describes the initial awe and enchantment of encountering the sea._

> How the floor trembled, and the dark boat swung With a man in it, and a great wave fell Within a stone’s cast!

The ground shook, a dark boat rocked with a man inside, and a large wave crashed nearby.

_The speaker vividly recalls the physical sensations and sights of the moment._

> Words may never tell The passion of the moment, when I flung All childish records by, and felt arise A thing that died no more!

Language cannot capture the intensity of that moment when I abandoned all childish thoughts and felt something eternal awaken within me.

_The experience was so profound that it transcended words and marked a permanent change in the speaker._

> An awful power I claimed with trembling hands and eager eyes, Mine, mine for ever, an immortal dower.

I claimed a tremendous power with trembling hands and eager eyes, a power that would be mine forever, an immortal gift.

_The speaker describes taking possession of the sea's power as a personal, eternal inheritance._

> The noise of waters soundeth to this hour When I look seaward through the quiet skies.

Even now, whenever I look out at the sea under the calm sky, I still hear the sound of the waves from that first encounter.

_The memory of the sea's sound remains vivid and enduring for the speaker._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_8_se/chapters/first-sight-of-the-sea
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_8_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_8_se/chapters