This poem was first published in 1914, the year the Irish joined WWI. The poet’s sons were among those who joined the armed forces. In the scene, a street full of onlookers observes a passing tram car carrying new, hopeful soldiers. There is a juxtaposition between the joyous young men and the “drab street” (Line 5) watching their lives change forever. The scene is one of effusive excitement, tinged with the sorrow of what’s to come. In the closing lines, the men pass “into the mist” (Line 15), suggesting that they cease to exist in this life and become creatures of memory.