Symbol Analysis
Looks like the land got the short end of the stick in "Neither Out Far Nor In Deep." Nobody really cares about it—not even when the "water comes ashore." They're too busy looking at the sea all day, hoping to discern some great truth. Symbolically, we understand that the land represents the stuff of life, and all the things we tend to take for granted in it.
- Line 3: The people along the sand turn their back on the land. We understand then that those folks are turning their back on the stuff that's right beneath their feet. They opt instead to stare at the sea and think about all the stuff they'll never understand or see.
- Line 9: If the land varies more, wouldn't it make for some more interesting sights compared to the sea? Nope. No matter if it looks more interesting, those people along the sand only care about the sea and what they can't see.
- Line 11: Meanwhile, the "water comes ashore" which suggests that maybe some truths are being washed up on land, too. But do the folks along the sand care? We're guessing no.