The morning was one peculiar to that coast. Everything was mute and calm; everything gray. The sea, though undulated into long roods of swells, seemed fixed, and was sleeked at the surface like waved lead that has cooled and set in the smelter's mould. The sky seemed a gray surtout. Flights of troubled gray fowl, kith and kin with flights of troubled gray vapors among which they were mixed, skimmed low and fitfully over the waters, as swallows over meadows before storms. Shadows present, foreshadowing deeper shadows to come.
by Herman Melville
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The morning described in the passage creates a striking scene characteristic of the coast, where a profound silence envelops everything. The gray tones permeate the landscape, evoking a mood of stillness yet hinting at an underlying tension. The sea, despite its gentle swells, appears almost lifeless, reflecting the somber atmosphere. Above, the sky envelops the horizon like a heavy coat, embodying the sense of foreboding that hangs in the air.

Amidst this stillness, flocks of gray birds move erratically, paralleling the anxious movements of the surrounding clouds, indicating a turbulence that may herald an approaching storm. The imagery of shadows conveys the idea of impending darkness, suggesting that the calm exterior of the morning may soon give way to more ominous developments. This scene expertly sets the stage for a narrative steeped in tension and uncertainty.

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