Poet Bowles describes a river in all its vitality and splendor. The poet compares the four stages of human life in the course of the river.

In the first stanza, the poet says that the river sparkles brightly on its way. It goes on dancing over the yellow pebbles, glancing through the flowers and leaves of trees. These acts of the river are compared to a curious and innocent child at play. That is like a child who plays hide and seek

In the second stanza, the poet calls it the swelling river which means it keeps on rising. The river is compared to a reckless youth who goes through rough and smooth patches of life. Like a youth, here the river becomes louder, faster and sweeping rough rocks and banks where roses grow.

In the third stanza, the river, which is full, becomes a hard-working man who is at the prime phase of life. Here the deep and broad river seems motionless but it keeps moving towards the sea like a matured man who silently marches towards the goal.

In the fourth stanza, the long journey of the river reaches the endless sea like a human life attains eternity. The sea’s depth has never been measured by weighted line and none has gone by ship completely around the sea, which can be compared to eternity.