Question

why does the poet most likely use the words "damp and brown" to describe the sands?

Answer 1

Damp and brown is different word from each other. Damp is a negative word of humidity  [moisture] and brown is a color which represents sadness and loneliness. It is a visual imaginary of poet of sad beach used to create poem more haunting and unsettling.

Answer 2

Answer :

In the poem "The Tide Rises, The Tide Falls" by H.W. Longfellow, the poet uses the words "damp and brown" to describe the sands to make the poem more haunting or unsettling.

Cambridge English Dictionary defines 'damp' as 'slightly wet, especially in a way that is not pleasant or comfortable.' It is a slightly negative word.

Cambridge English Dictionary defines 'brown' as 'the color of chocolate or earth.' this color is used to represent the feelings of sadness and loneliness.

Longfellow, thus, uses the literary device of visual imagery through the words "damp and brown" to make the poem more haunting and unsettling.