"The Convergence of the Twain" is a masterful poem by Thomas Hardy that demonstrates nature's infallibility and it's aptitude to triumph over man's attempts to defy her (like the building of an unsinkable ship). Hardy uses such poetic devices as metaphor and diction throughout the work and the title to express his thoughts on the, "august event.".
Metaphor usage can be observed in several different stanzas and adds a whole new meaning to those in which it is found. This is demonstrated in stanza VI when Hardy refers to the Titanic as a "creature of cleaving wing". The author obviously thinks well of the ship- the metaphor basically states that she flew through the ocean like it was nothing at all. This phrase also helps to develop the nature of the Titanic- part of the human world, as opposed to that of nature's grandeur. Another area of the poem where metaphor is prominent is stanza VII when Hardy dubs the iceberg the Titanic's "sinister mate." The author starts to reveal his view on the relationship between the Titanic and the iceberg here- he's hinting at their later union as one by referring to the iceberg as a life-long companion to the Titanic. Essentially, the reader starts to see the tip of the author's final thoughts on the subject. Altogether, the element of metaphor adds variety to Hardy's work, and thus keeps the reader both interested and entertained enough to read through the rest of the poem and ultimately gain a greater understanding of his thoughts on and opinions of the tragedy of the Titanic.
In addition to metaphor, "The Convergence of the Twain" also harbors bountiful amounts of diction within its lines. Stanza XI, for example, maintains its meaning solely through the use of diction. The choice of words in the line, "and consummation comes, and jars to hemispheres" in particular cannot change without changing the author's meaning- which is the collision was actually the final goal of becoming one whole by two separate halves of fate.