When by the Ruins oft I past My sorrowing eyes aside did castAnd here and there the places spyWhere oft I sate and long did lie.Here stood that Trunk, and there that chest,There lay that store I counted best,My pleasant things in ashes lieAnd them behold no more shall I.Under the roof no guest shall sit,Nor at thy Table eat a bit.No pleasant talk shall 'ere be toldNor things recounted done of old.No Candle 'ere shall shine in Thee,Nor bridegroom's voice ere heard shall bee.In silence ever shalt thou lie.

Summary

This quote reflects on the sorrow felt by the speaker as they revisit a place filled with ruins. The speaker reminisces about the objects and memories associated with that place, now destroyed and gone. The imagery of the trunk, chest, and pleasant things reduced to ashes symbolizes loss and the inability to retrieve what was once valuable. The absence of guests, food, pleasant conversation, light, and joyful celebrations emphasizes the silence and emptiness that now defines this place. Overall, the quote portrays a sense of irreversible devastation and the permanent state of stillness and quietude that engulfs it.

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