ives way in the latter portion of the poem to an image of a beautiful but frightened bird trapped in a room and fighting to escape. the ship image seems more suited to the father observing the daughter and understanding what her journey through life will be like, while the trapped bird seeking escape is more like the older writer watching the younger writer and knowing what it is to search for the right word and the right way to express a thought. The starling batters itself against the furniture as it tries to find its way out,
For the wits to try it again (25-26).
This is an image reminiscent of the girl sitting at the typewriter
...