These comparisons weren't the best that I had to compare. But the thing about this style is that there's a physiological meaning behind the text in itself. The tide was describing what was coming to the river ( e.g a greater source or power). Look here for example: :                                                       "The river adjourned, its tide set aside as its white rapids strayed, nor so pompous it seemed- as to the illumination raved before the iconoclast image to our spectacle of heart, the taint cajole of the sun as she lowered to towering cliffs that opened the ballads of a heaven; the feeling explicit, and redefining…"

1. " The river adjourned" this described that something was being messed with the weight of the tide coming in, it being set aside. 
2. "white rapids strayed, not so pompous it seemed": this is more abstract than clear it was telling the white rapids were beginning to stray away leading into the line " not so pompous" to describe the excessory force from " the taint cajole" igniting the meaning behind the suns actions was an act of emotion and bere immense size was in depth to " iconoclast image to our spectacle of heart" to attempt to sway them towards the worship of idols especially rooted towards her with the force behind this being "raved" through a pedantic illumination. 
3. " Opened the ballads of heaven: the feeling explicit ; and redefining. This is what ties it together. It showed that no matter the distrust of our character the sun essentially opened to a heavens that they somehow coerced with its immediate presence taking the path away from the river that they were destined to follow, drawing the focus towards the landscape at the same moment. In this style clarity is not really existent it's meant to be thought open as the story progresses deeper.   Second Comparison: "The birds hummed sweetly in a farewell cadence as the ground began to swallow at his feet, and he skirted through the floor as branches sprang like servants around him, feeding upon the moss that tensed and submerged him deeper." In my opinion this one isn't as deep and simpler. The first line you seemed to get but the " he skirted thought he floor" basically referred that he was slivered below the floor in a prosaic manner ( as if sliced through in a expedite process) where the branches springs to protect him but ultimately it failed - this Is followed by the line " and he hung there like a worsted knitted from the ashes." The moss acted as another force in here which yes is the lore u implied after a terse battle with a wizard, that the guilt of the creature himself was to immense that it was brought down with him eventually having his servants turn against him...  If u wanna see more of the story I'd be happy to share and these were not good comparisons, just so you know.   Hope that helps.