1. Repetition: The poem begins and ends with the line "There was a child went forth", creating a sense of cyclical time. The repetition of this line also emphasizes the idea of a continuous journey, suggesting that the passage of time is a constant.
2. Parallel Structure: Whitman uses parallel structure throughout the poem to describe the child's experiences at different stages of life. Each stanza follows a similar pattern, with the child encountering something new and learning from it. This parallel structure reinforces the idea of time moving forward, as the child grows and changes.
3. Imagery: Whitman uses vivid imagery to describe the child's encounters, evoking a sense of the passing seasons and the stages of life. For example, the child encounters "the bare and rugged mountains", "the starry night", "the running streams", and "the fields of corn". These images represent different aspects of nature, and their progression suggests the passage of time.
Overall, Whitman's use of repetition, parallel structure, and imagery in "There Was a Child Went Forth" creates a powerful sense of the passage of time.