The Voice of the Ocean

by William Hope Hodgson

"The Voice of the Ocean" (1921) is an epic sea poem tinged with the fantastic, as one would expect from the author of "The Ghost Pirates" and "The Boats of the 'Glen Carrig'."

Genres: Poetry

48 pages, Paperback

First published October 23, 2009

About the author

William Hope Hodgson was an English author. He produced a large body of work, consisting of essays, short fiction, and novels, spanning several overlapping genres including horror, fantastic fiction, and science fiction. Early in his writing career he dedicated effort to poetry, although few of his poems were published during his lifetime. He also attracted some notice as a photographer and achieved some renown as a bodybuilder. Hodgson served with the British Army durng World War One. He died, at age 40, at Ypres, killed by German artillery fire.

Reviews

[Deb Omnivorous Reader · Rating 2 out of 5]

Having seen the description of this as “...an epic sea poem tinged with the fantastic” it seemed like something I could really enjoy. While I don’t read a lot of poetry I am fond of the epic, saga type ones I have read and the maritime theme was in keeping with my current reading inclinations.

The Voice of the Ocean however disappointed me from the start: While it claims to be the voice of the ocean and appears to start on board ‘a steamer’ the theme has nothing to do with the ocean and everything to do with god. The sea speaks to defend god from an atheist who is questioning the existence of the deity. From there on pretty much the rest of the poem is a voice (theoretically, the ocean, but sounding more like a christian preacher) defending god, berating the godless and consoling those who are unhappy about how much god loves them.

I put it down in disgust.

However, eventually, I picked it back up again having done some research on the author to get myself interested and this time knowing what I was getting into, sadly ignoring the beautiful cover picture of a galleon on a still sea.

It is a pretty good poem if you can stomach the subject matter. The prose is a bit patchy, at times it is lofty with really lovely descriptive powers, then it flies along. Other times it losses way and slogs along for a while before becoming enthused again. As I went along I came to suspect that this version of god is a bit individual, there is some talk of reincarnation which is not the Christian party line I believe. There were a few free thinking moments at least.

So not a bad epic religious poem if you like that sort of thing, do not be fooled into thinking it has much to do with the ocean though.

[Vasil · Rating 2 out of 5]

What in the world did I just read?!
Well, this 40-something page poem by Hodgson seems to serve as a vehicle for presenting his weird (not in a good way) religious beliefs: from a bizarre, part creationist, part evolutionary cosmogony, to an unremitting faith in nigh-endless cycles of reincarnation of the human soul.
I believe I now better grasp his personal philosophy underlying such cherished works as "The House on The Borderland" and "The Night Land"... and I'm not sure I like it.

[Leila Anani · Rating 3 out of 5]

This epic poem by William Hope Hodgson has a sailor have a lengthy conversation with the sea (the voice of god?) about religion and how we ought to act. The thoughts/last words of various people dying drift to the sea and the sea responds. I particularly love the frightened soul crying out for Christ as he is sucked down into the pit - this bit is the most reminiscent of Hodgson's sea tales. And I love the sea's response:

"Rising, wailing, strange and solemn,
Sad, inhuman - yet all loving,
Trailing upward from the deep,
Singing from a cold abyss,
Crying from a clouded gloom"

I also love the almost visionary post apocalyptic scene towards the end:

"The world is dying, and I am alone,
In the deep silence, while the nearing sun
Belches an awful flare of lurid fire
Across the starkness of the dying world
And far across my almost silenced breast."

The verse itself isn't particularly good, but this has moments of beauty and individual scenes are great. As a whole however, it never seems to get to any real point. Definitely one that merits multiple readings.

[MO · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Cataract of light "