Crossing the Bar: Imagery

I couldn't help but notice the recurring imagery throughout this poem. Various images of a "sunset and evening star", "boundless deep", and a "twilight and evening bell" all metaphorically described the death of the speaker. All these images have a central theme in common. They each are something at the end of their cycle. These images are used to describe the speaker's approaching death. The speaker in the poem states "And may there be no moaning of the bar." At first I didn't know what this meant; however, after reading the description in the questions in the book, I can conclude that this statement means that the speaker wants to have a peaceful death. He does not want to die in agony, yelling from pain which is certainly what I think all people would want. Overall, I think I understood and enjoyed this poem's unique imagery that helped communicate its meaning in a metaphorical manner.