The poem takes place at a hidden, unspecified location at a “ghost-ridden crossroads” (Line 11) where a meeting house once stood. Historically, crossroads have been associated with supernatural influences and secret meetings. The phrase “ghost-ridden” suggests this place is haunted by those that came before, which the country removed because they didn’t fit into the ideal social mould. A crossroads also implies a transition of choice, sometimes called a “crossroads of life”. This suggests that the speaker, their country, and the reader are facing a time of change which will be directed by the choices that they make.