‘… staring down/All his young days into the harbour where/His ball went …’ Do you think the boy has had the ball for a long time? Is it linked to the memories of days when he played with it?

Yes, it looks like the boy had the ball with him from a long time. When it bounced into the water, all his reminiscences of the childhood days flashed in front of him. This led to an understanding that those moments would not come back now, just like the ball. He can buy new balls and can likewise create new moments, but those which have gone would not return now.

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