Tempest on the Island is a metaphor for the political storm that raged over Northern Ireland in the latter part of the twentieth century. The poem's storm pounding the island is a metaphor for the bloodshed in Northern Ireland. The image is enhanced by the use of white space around the poem, which makes the violence against the island stand out even more. In addition to this, the location of the poem, an island in the North Sea, also creates an image of isolation and separation from the world surrounding it. This metaphor is reinforced through the use of sea shells as ornaments on the tree, echoing the feeling that the island is cut off from the rest of society. Finally, the last line of the poem uses imagery related to wind and water to describe the turmoil happening on the island. These elements are powerful and can cause much damage if used incorrectly, so their inclusion here shows how dangerous and destructive the storm was. In conclusion, Tempest on the Island is a metaphorical poem that compares the violent political storm that swept across Northern Ireland to a tempest on an island in the North Sea. The image of the island being bombarded with bullets is used to show how far-reaching the violence was and how difficult it was to get away from it all.