"I hope to see my Pilot face to face
When I have crossed the bar."
Crossing the Bar
Crossing the Bar is a poem which acts as an extended metaphor in which many different things represent other things. The speaker uses "crossing the bar" as a symbol for death, and "home" as heaven. The Pilot stands for God, which can be realized most greatly by the fact that it is capitalized. This is similar to in "The Convergence of the Twain," when words such as "Immanent Will" and "Spinner of Years" were capitalized in reference to God. Overall, this extended metaphor is a creative way for the speaker to express his thoughts. The ocean scene creates a peaceful setting for his message that he doesn't wish people to mourn too much when he dies. He is excited about seeing his "Pilot" and hopes there will "be no sadness" when he is gone. The metaphor is a tool that effectively creates a peaceful environment for the speaker's peaceful message.
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