Question

What does the poet mean by 'carried to a rich country' ?

Answer 1

The ship that sails west discovers "a rich country”. We could see this ship as representing a life path that leads to wealth and prosperity--perhaps a path that leads to the more traditional ideas of what it means to be successful. The ship that sails east experiences some more tumultuous moments, ends up getting stuck somewhere, and is less successful. Both of these ships return eventually.