Elegy for the Native Guards

The symbol of water begins in the epigraph (quotation) from Tate. The excerpt Trethewey includes from Tate’s poem ends with the “sea.” She picks up this imagery in the “boat” (Line 2) the tourists ride in the first stanza, where they are accompanied by sea birds, or “gulls” (Line 1). Trethewey’s final stanza develops the water imagery. The “water-lost” (Line 20) dead are surrounded by “fish” (Line 20). This is a strong image of human remains existing underwater—”bones” (Line 20) can be compared to coral through which fish swim.

Furthermore, the watery graves do not offer information. There are no headstones to read. So, observers can only listen to the “waves” (Line 21). This imagery about graves being submerged symbolizes how information about Black soldiers has been suppressed. However, the poem does not end with imagery about the sea, but with the watery image of “rain” (Line 24). The rain falling on the fort (rather than the sea) is described. The fort exposed to the rain is compared to being exposed to the eye of God. The diction choice “eye” (Line 24) refers back to the watery, god-like power of Hurricane Camille (as in the eye of a hurricane).