I feel like the whole poem was a figure of speech, although in line five I feel it gave a feel for the rest of the poem and set the scene for itself. It explains about how the women leaves the house, it feels like she has taken everything else with her. Her presence made things swift and relaxing, and without her there, there is no order to the house. The house was a part of her and she a part of the house. The person explaining the women feels like her absence has put a restriction on all of his doings and he cannot think of anything but her and how he longs to see her, to have her bring grace back into his house. Although, we learn, if I am correct that it is not a house at all, that he is a sailor and is out to see. So I think he is homesick, and longs for his significant other, for her touch and the comfort of his home, but he lets the reader know just what home is for him and how he ties her in with it. He has a bunk aboard, and food, and probably other things from home, but without her, it is not much of anything, it is just a place where he lays his head at night.

I feel the whole poem is speaking of how a women makes a house a home, of how her touch and doings around the house are overlooked by others living in the home. I know that it is probably not intentional, but women do a lot around their homes, and I will tell you first hand it is not an easy task, it is tiring, but in the end when your man gets home and he see the work you did and appreciates it, that is simply enough and to also see the work you do yourself is rewarding.