The speaker hears an old woman playing a simple tune on a piano, a tune that transports him back to his own childhood. He remembers his mother playing the same tune, evoking a sense of love, warmth, and innocence. However, the memory is tinged with sadness, as he realizes that time has passed and his mother is now gone.
The poem's key themes are:
* Memory: The sound of the piano acts as a trigger for the speaker's memories, highlighting the powerful and evocative nature of memory.
* Childhood: The poem evokes a sense of nostalgia for the speaker's childhood, a time of innocence and joy.
* Loss: The memory of his mother playing the piano is bittersweet, as it reminds him of her absence.
* Time: The poem explores the passage of time and its impact on our lives.
* Music: The poem uses the piano as a symbol of both joy and sadness, highlighting the emotional power of music.
The poem ends with a sense of longing and resignation, as the speaker acknowledges that he can never truly recapture the past, but the memory of his mother's music will forever remain with him.