Tennyson uses the metaphor of a sand bar to describe the barrier between life and death. A sandbar is a ridge of sand built up by currents along a shore. In order to reach the shore, the waves must crash against the sandbar, creating a sound that Tennyson describes as the “moaning of the bar.”

the capitalisations of 'Time', 'Place' and 'Pilot'. We capitalise proper nouns, such as names and locations, suggesting that Tennyson sees 'Time and Place' as a specific location, and 'his Pilot' as a personal figure. This adds to the element of certainty in the poem: Tennyson has in mind a location in which he will end, and though he can only 'hope' to see his 'Pilot', he has an image he aspires to meet with.

Crossing the bar is an extended metaphor for crossing the boundary between life and death. A metaphor is a device in which two different things are compared by implying or stating that they are the same thing. An extended metaphor unfolds throughout an entire text and often utilizes smaller metaphors for reinforcement. In “Crossing the Bar,” the extended metaphor for death begins with images of twilight and the setting sun—both of which represent impending death—in the first two stanzas. As night approaches, the speaker anticipates limitless darkness and a “flood” that “may bear me far”; however, he frames his journey as a homecoming and hopes to meet his “Pilot” after crossing the bar. Though the speaker literally describes preparing to set sail, his language and the mood it creates can also relate to the experience of dying.

Night has arrived and the speaker sets out on his scheduled sailing, acknowledging that his travels may lead him far beyond the boundary of “Time and Place.” Despite the uncertainty in his future, he seems to take confidence in potentially seeing his “Pilot” after crossing the bar from the harbor to the ocean.

The noun “bourne” means a boundary or a limit. In this context, “our bourne” is the bar, or the literal boundary between the harbor and the sea. However, the boundary is also metaphorical in that it separates the “Time and Place” of human existence from the boundless unknown that exists beyond death.

The verb “to embark” means to board a vehicle, such as a ship, for travel. It can also mean to begin something. The speaker symbolically anticipates the darkness that he will face when he embarks on his journey and hopes that his departure will not bring sadness.

This line uses assonance, or the repetition of vowels, in the words “And,” “after,” “that,” and “dark.” Assonance contributes to the poem’s varying metrical structure, which seems to mimic the ebb and flow of the ocean.

These two lines use enjambment, a device in which a phrase, thought, or clause expressed in one line continues into the next line. Enjambment emphasizes the significance of “the boundless deep,” which is important to the poem’s extended metaphor. Death is vast and mysterious, much like the ocean that a seafarer faces.

This line uses sibilance, a device in which words with the letter “s” are repeated so that they create a hissing sound when spoken aloud. This form of repetition stands out because of the hiss; as a result, Tennyson’s striking imagery delivers an even more emotional impact.

Tennyson personifies the ocean’s tide by portraying it as a sleeping being. Personification, which involves attributing human characteristics to nonhuman things, creates especially vivid imagery of the sea at sunset. Personifying the sea also develops the poem’s central metaphor of the sea journey representing death and dying.

This line uses alliteration, or the repetition of consonants, in the words “clear call.” Alliteration establishes the poem’s rhythm while also introducing the premise of its extended metaphor: the speaker feels a call to embark on a sea journey, which represents the journey from life to death.

The “evening star” is Venus, the second planet from the Sun. Venus, which looks like a very bright star, can also rise in the morning. Its orbit is within that of Earth’s and it often appears to be close to the Sun; however, the planet’s presence at dawn or at dusk depends on its placement on either side of the star. When Venus trails the Sun, it appears in the evening. When it leads the Sun, it appears at dawn.