The poem argues that America is foundering not because of its people, but because of a parasitic ruling class that sabotages it for its own gain. It connects current struggles to a long history of exploitation. Most importantly, it rejects the narrative of helplessness. It asserts that true power doesn't lie in capturing the decaying ship of state, but in the collective, oceanic power of the people to either reclaim it or, if necessary, build a new one from its wreckage, finally "sailing free." It is a poem of warning, but ultimately, one of immense hope and resolve.