This three-stanza poem details the speaker’s attempt to mend a rift in a long-standing friendship. The speaker addresses the friend, going over various stages in their lives. The first stanza concentrates on the pair’s early friendship in childhood while the second stanza focuses on the amusing times they have had. The third stanza shows that the friendship has weathered serious hardships. Since the speaker and the friend are currently at odds, the speaker repeatedly pleas for understanding and reunion throughout the poem.

The speaker begins by stressing the longevity and flexibility of the friendship. The speaker and the friend “have been friends together” (Line 1) in both “sunshine and in shade” (Line 2). This suggests the pair have previously enjoyed happy times—as represented by “sunshine” (Line 2)—and survived more difficult ones—as represented by “shade” (Line 2). The friendship has gone on for a lengthy period of time, having started in “infancy” or childhood (Line 4). The speaker notes fondly how the pair “played” (Line 4) together “beneath the chestnut-trees” (Line 3). However, the current argument has caused a deep conflict. A “coldness” (Line 5) now lives within the friend’s “heart” (Line 5), suggesting the friend feels truly betrayed.