Explain some of the metaphors that the poet uses to describe nature and also his daughter's feelings."Full moon and Little Frieda" by Ted Hughes

There are several metaphors in "Full Moon and Little
Frieda."

"A spider's web, tense for the dew's touch"
describes a spider's web that is seen at night (the setting of the poem) and how it
looks before the dawn. Over the course of the evening, dew droplets from condensation in
the air will gather on the veins of the web, to be seen sparkling in the early morning
sun.

"A dark river of blood, many boulders..." refers to
the movement of the water, which appears as blood in the
dark.

In terms of the metaphor, it may figuratively
describe how difficult it is to navigate, in general, through the dark (figuratively or
literally), and that water takes the "path of least resistance," not fighting boulders
or obstacles in the way, but moving around them. Perhaps the author suggests to the
reader that this is the best course to take in our daily trials and tribulations. (The
rest of the line, "balancing unspilled milk" may simply refer to staying focused on the
task at hand as you move through the darkness).

"The moon
has stepped back" is personification (which is a form of metaphor, comparing the moon to
a person). In this case, the moon moves a step backward to gain a better vantage point
as it gazes at the world below. In some ways, the description of the moon places
what is on the earth and what is above the
earth, on equal footing. (I am reminded of the poem "Desiderata," by Max
Ehrmann which states "You are a child of the universe / no less than the trees
and the stars...")

[The rest of the quote ("The
moon has stepped back like an artist gazing amazed at a work / That points at him
amazed") is a simile, which continues to lift up the idea of the heavens looking at us
while we look at the heavens.]

"A pail
lifted, still and brimming - mirror / To tempt a first star..." is a metaphor, comparing
the surface of the brimming pail to that of a mirror.  This image also reinforces the
beauty of what is on the Earth and what is beautiful in the heavens, and that
neither is more or less awe-inspiring. Hughes uses personification
(as said before, a kind of imagery/metaphor) to remind us of the majesty of the creation
of man (as seen in little Frieda), even as we admire the majesty of
that above us, i.e., moon, stars, etc.

Ted Hughes uses
imagery to describe, with substantive and lovely details, the scene of this particular
night when Frieda notices, with sheer delight and awe, the moon above
her.

The imagery also is "painted" in such a way that it
seems to reflect the sense of that simile noted above: "The moon has stepped
back like an artist gazing amazed at a work." The moon is compared
to an artist who stares amazed at the beauty it observes beneath it with its reflected
light—while that beauty (little Frieda), with equal amazement,
points back at the moon.

Hope this is
of some assistance to you.