The Passage of Time

The central theme in the poem is the expanse of time that the speaker has lived, and their awakening and understanding of it. While the speaker’s age is not specified, it’s clear they have lived a long and full life. Now, they are watching another, younger generation fill that role while the speaker steps aside into the last stage of life. Each stanza of the poem represents a different element of the speaker’s life. In the first, they look back on their fiery youth as they engaged in intellectual discourse with their friends. At this stage of being, life seems to be an endless and unlimited resource. Through the lens of hindsight, the speaker looks at those who are now experiencing that rush of youthful energy in the second stanza. While he recognizes the passion they bring, he himself has...