storm on the island- seamus heaney

• ''we are prepared" -hubris -underestimate power of nature
• "houses squat" -assumes that they can overcome nature -squat implies unmovable
• "wizened earth has never troubled us" -reckless assumptions -tremendous force
• "raise a tragic chorus in a gale" -juxtaposition -capable of inconceivable feats
• "listen to the thing you fear" -tragic/sympathetic -sense of resignation
• "exploding comfortable" -juxtaposition- incomprehensible power of nature vs normalcy of events before human settling
• "bombarded by the empty air" -have to accept defeat
• "a huge nothing that we fear" -sublime power -numinous
• themes: -power of nature
• form and structure: - blank verse (unrhymed iambic pentameter) reflect unpredictability of nature -develops from preparation to ignorance/ nervousness
• language: -scale of storms -threatening -semantic field of nature (dominating force)
• tone: -intimidating -regretful