The Wind Sleepers by H. D.

The speakers represent a collective "we" — a group of restless spirits or the deceased who were once part of the coastal wind and sea. They speak directly to the living, urging them to carry out mourning rituals. H.D. doesn't specify their names, which helps maintain their mythic and universal quality instead of linking them to a single narrative.

To propitiate means to appease or pacify a spirit or god with offerings and rituals. In ancient Greek and Roman religions, those who died unburied or without mourning were believed to be restless and possibly threatening. The spirits in this context operate under that same belief — they require a ritual, and until they receive it, they won't find peace.

Imagism was a poetic movement that H.D. co-founded around 1912–1913, with Ezra Pound as a key supporter. The principles were straightforward: choose the precise word, eliminate unnecessary embellishments, and allow a concrete image to convey the emotion. This poem exemplifies that approach — "whiter than the crust left by the tide" conveys more emotion than an entire paragraph of description could, and every word in the piece serves a purpose.

The demand for a continuous chant highlights the age-old belief that mourning is a lasting duty rather than a fleeting moment. Since the spirits are forever displaced, the tribute to them must also endure. This concept echoes the sea itself — waves are relentless, and the song dedicated to those the sea has taken should be just as unceasing.

The city gate serves as a threshold — a boundary separating the wild natural world from the organized human realm, and symbolically, the living from the dead. The spirits passing through it indicate that they’ve been driven out from their natural resting places and now find themselves in a liminal state, which is why they rely on the living to carry out these rites.

The spirits arise from a rugged, unforgiving coastline — the sounds of that place aren’t harmonious. Gulls and sea-hawks don’t sing sweetly. By insisting on these dissonances, the spirits are demanding that the mourning be genuine and reflect their true nature, rather than be polished into something that comforts the living. The tribute must reflect the harsh reality of their origins.

Not tied to a specific myth, it captures the essence of ancient Greek religious practices. H.D. drew significant inspiration from Greek lyric poetry and the belief that the deceased need proper rites. Elements like the collective chanting, the construction of altars, and the term "propitiate" all originate from that realm. Consider it less a retelling of a myth and more a poem that resonates within the same emotional and spiritual space.

At its core, the poem insists that we must remember and honor the dead — and those who have been displaced — rather than forget them. The spirits remain restless because they haven't been mourned as they should be. This poem calls for acknowledgment: grief is essential, and the living have a duty to offer the dead a genuine, lasting, and heartfelt tribute.