Here's a breakdown of the poem:
* The speaker, a young boy, is entering the woods with a sense of awe and anticipation. He feels a thrill at the unknown and the sense of adventure.
* He encounters various creatures and elements of the forest. He sees "the tall trees" and "the green leaves," and he encounters a squirrel that "climbs the trees."
* The speaker realizes that the forest is a place of both beauty and danger. He notes the "bright birds" and the "soft moss," but he also sees the "dark shadows" and hears the "wind in the trees."
* The poem emphasizes the speaker's growing understanding of the natural world. He is no longer just a child who is fascinated by the unknown; he is beginning to see the forest as a complex and interconnected place.
* The poem ends with the speaker reflecting on the passage of time. He remembers how the woods seemed "so big" to him as a child, but he now sees them as "smaller" and "more familiar." The speaker has grown and changed, but the woods remain constant.
Key Themes:
* Nature: The poem celebrates the beauty and mystery of the natural world.
* Childhood: The poem captures the wonder and innocence of childhood, as well as the process of growing up and coming to understand the world.
* Time: The poem explores the passage of time and the ways in which our perception of the world changes over time.
Overall, "The Way Through the Woods" is a poignant and evocative poem that speaks to the universal experience of growing up and coming to terms with the world around us.