Wild Nights! Wild Nights!

This poem is a striking exploration of passionate longing and, perhaps, unfulfilled desire that uses maritime imagery to convey its themes. The repeated exclamation "Wild nights!" at the beginning is an urgent, fervent plea, suggesting a deep yearning for a love that is as tumultuous and free as a wild night at sea. The poem's tone is fervid and intense, with an undercurrent of frustration and longing.

The poem's structure, in three short stanzas, moves from the passionate desire of wild nights, to the frustration of a heart in port, to a final plea for fulfillment. The maritime images - winds, port, compass, chart, rowing, sea - are employed to emphasize feelings of desire, frustration and longing. For example, "Futile the winds / To a heart in port" brilliantly captures the frustrating stillness of unfulfilled passion, where the winds of desire are useless if one's heart is safely harbored. The final stanza's "Rowing in Eden!" is a standout phrase, combining religious and nautical imagery to represent an idealized, paradise-like state of passionate union.

In terms of literary devices, the poem uses a number of exclamation marks, which emphasize the urgency and intensity of the speaker's longing. The personification of the winds and sea also serve to accentuate the speaker's emotions. Overall, the poem is a powerfully evocative exploration of passionate desire, using maritime imagery to striking effect.