The poem explores the speaker's nostalgia for a past time and place, contrasting it with the present moment. The speaker reflects on how people have changed over time, becoming more materialistic and less genuine. They lament the loss of innocence and simplicity in society, yearning for a return to a bygone era.
By John Greenleaf Whittier · First published 1826 · Genre: Religious Poetry, Lyric Poetry, Nature Poetry