Stephen Bann, the English poet, academic and friend of Finlay has written of this tile: "Finlay's long-standing pre-occupation with the fishing-boat has within the last few years largely given place to a concern with the modern warship, and the panorama of recent sea warfare. Here he cites the Battle of Midway, which took place in June 1942 between the fleets of America and Japan and marked the turning of the Pacific War in America's favour. The motto picks up the famous opening lines of Dante's Divine Comedy: 'In the middle of the journey of our life ('Midway'), I came to myself in a dark wood". The 'dark wood' of Dante's allegory is recreated in the bursts of anti-aircraft fire which cover the sky in surviving photographs of the battle.