The poem is told from the perspective of someone looking up at Brooklyn Bridge. At the time the poem was written, the bridge would have existed for approximately 50 years, or a single generation. While daily commuters would no longer see it as a novelty, its construction and innovation would still be within living memory. Although the physical location stays constant from beginning to end, the poem passes through an entire day from dawn to darkness. The time of day allows the speaker to perceive the magic and beauty of the bridge in different ways. The East River running below the bridge also plays a part in the way the speaker views the world around them.