Inside and Outside (motif)
The poem has multiple evocations of inside and outside. Inside all is safe, warm, quiet, loving. Outside is potentially dangerous, unknown, able to destroy hope. The poem suggests that inside the "fortress" is the only safe place to be, although being inside means being dependent.
The Shell (symbol)
The actual nautilus shell symbolizes love, safety, and protection. This animal creates its own shell to protect and nurture its young; there is no more potent symbol of close, sustaining love.
Wasp Nest (symbol)
The wasp nest is also a symbol of intense motherly love, for female wasps, without male support, construct their nests. The female wasp is the only one with a stinger, which she will use to protect her young.
