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Crossing Brooklyn Ferry

Summary

‘Others will enter the gates of the ferry and cross from shore to shore,
Others will watch the run of the flood-tide,
Others will see the shipping of Manhattan north and west, and the heights of Brooklyn to the south and east,
Others will see the islands large and small;
Fifty years hence, others will see them as they cross, the sun half an hour high,’
‘Crossing Brooklyn Ferry’ in Crossing Brooklyn Ferry

Whitman tries to introduce the concept of future passengers where the speaker shifts from the use of the word ‘I’ to a more universal ‘others.’ This is an indication that the ferry will continue to operate transporting passengers in the years to come. The speaker goes ahead and emphasises the coming generations. Thus, watching the tide is a recurring encounter such as ferrying passengers which are action that will progress for years to come. A vivid description of the amazing beauty of the Manhattan skyline as well as the Brooklyn hills. The inclusion of the islands enhances an extra element of stability to the scene. The use of the phrase ‘fifty years hence’ is not only a definite time frame but also tends to highlight the immensity of time such that the ferry’s view will remain the same.

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