Storm on the Island

• ''We are prepared: we build our houses squat''

  • we = community working hard together
  • prepared = shows confidence and possibly arrogance over nature
  • houses = impression of safety
• ''Bombarded by the empty air''

  • bombarded = personification, has malicious intent, semantic field of war - the island is like a battlefield
  • empty = their fear seems irrational to those who don't live their
• ''It is a huge nothing that we fear''

  • huge = massive impact on them
  • nothing = paradoxes to 'huge' that emphasises the powerlessness of humanity
  • fear = terror
• ''Can raise a tragic chorus in a gale''

  • tragic chorus = bound to die whilst trying to make noise in order to seek help, they're isolated and cannot escape
  • gale = one singular part of the storm
• ''Spits like a tamed cat // turned savage''

  • spits = violent verb
  • tamed cat = familiar, believe that they had control
  • savage = suddenly terrified, cannot be held back