A BOAT beneath a sunny sky,Lingering onward dreamilyIn an evening of July -Children three that nestle near,Eager eye and willing ear,Pleased a simple tale to hear -Long has paled that sunny sky:Echoes fade and memories die:Autumn frosts have slain July.Still she haunts me, phantomwise,Alice moving under skiesNever seen by waking eyes.Children yet, the tale to hear,Eager eye and willing ear,Lovingly shall nestle near.In a Wonderland they lie,Dreaming as the days go by,Dreaming as the summers die:Ever drifting down the stream
"A boat beneath a sunny sky, lingering onward dreamily in an evening of July," paints a peaceful and nostalgic scene filled with childhood innocence and wonder. The poem describes three children listening eagerly to a simple tale, basking in the warmth of summer. Over time, the bright days fade, and memories of that carefree summer diminish as autumn arrives and cold frost ends July's warmth.
"Still she haunts me, phantomwise, Alice moving under skies never seen by waking eyes," suggests that the memories of childhood stories and wonder persist beyond the seasons, especially of adventures in Wonderland. The poem evokes a dreamlike quality where children remain captivated by magical tales, drifting through their days and into the eternities of imagination and longing, echoing Lewis Carroll's timeless themes of innocence and fantasy.
