a child sees the sky as a magical ocean full of mysterious creatures

the speaker hopes to save his daughter from a terrible future

artists experience a sea of wild and unpredictable emotions

there is a danger that artists may get lost in their own creations

In stanza 1, the speaker focuses on his daughter’s creative struggles, while in stanza 2, he imagines her eventual success as an artist.

In stanza 1, the speaker focuses on his daughter’s paintings, while in stanza 2, he describes his own artwork.

In stanza 1, the speaker focuses on his daughter’s art as an expression of childhood, while in stanza 2, he considers her future as a mature artist.

In stanza 1, the speaker focuses on his daughter’s early artistic success, while in stanza 2, he questions whether she should pursue a career as a painter.

Lines 3 through 5

Lines 9 and 10

Lines 17 through 19

Lines 28 and 29

the daughter will develop an interest in more practical pursuits as she matures

the speaker expects his daughter’s art to transform as she grows older

the daughter’s paintings will become more whimsical as she develops her technical skills

the speaker believes that his daughter will one day be a successful professional artist

wants to be honest about how little he understands the creative impulse

does not want to mislead his daughter into believing that she has special talent

is now willing to risk hurting his daughter’s self-esteem by telling her the truth about her work

wants to admit his confusion about the sometimes-stifling life choices that creative people make