Light (Symbol)
In the fourth stanza, the speaker describes a "blinding illumination." The presence of light within a "dark" storm signifies the emergence of the epiphany, which "brought her closer to the landscape." The contrast between light and dark within the stanza—the light comes "even as you short- / circuit us / into further darkness"—portrays the epiphany as even more powerful. Furthermore, the light-dark dichotomy reflects the speaker's internal divide, as she is torn between her homeland and place of current residence.
Hurricane (Allegory)
The hurricane itself could be viewed as an allegory, in which extended symbolism reveals an underlying truth. The speaker struggles with an internal conflict, feeling isolated from her current "landscape." It is the hurricane that bringers her "closer" to this new place of residence, by letting her know that "the earth is the earth is the earth." The story of this hurricane leading the speaker to feel a sense of home and belonging, despite geographical distance, could be seen as a broader commentary on the conflicting emotions of migration. In this way, by reminding her of home, the hurricane is the conduit for comfort and truth in a universal conception of Earth.
Hurricane (Symbol)
The hurricane can also be viewed as a symbol of upheaval and change. It causes an important realization within the speaker, which "brings her closer / to the landscape." Furthermore, it causes great destruction by "reaping havoc" and uprooting "trees / falling heavy as whales" into "their cratered graves." Within the speaker, the storm has the power to "break the frozen lake" in her and shake "the foundations of the very trees" within her, sparking the epiphany.
Natural Landscapes (Motifs)
There are several natural landscapes described throughout the poem, which is significant due to its central conflict surrounding the speaker's alienation from her current residence and longing for a sense of home. The storm brings "her closer / to the landscape." The speaker's choice of the word "landscape" focuses on the isolation she feels from the physical geography around her, as if its foreign appearance is what is isolating her rather than its geographical distance from her home. Later, she specifies that this landscape is "an English coast" and a "new place." Trees are described as having "crusted roots" and "cratered graves," adding texture to their lifelines and deaths in the context of the storm. The narrator also describes her internal state in terms of landscapes. "The frozen lake," which is broken by the storm, depicts visually a sense of stagnation and coldness within her. The storm also shakes "the foundations of the very trees" within her, suggesting that her internal pillars are being reoriented.
