The piece begins with a captivating line: “when i was younger i used to think the sky arched over us like the top of a snow globe”. “Nostalgic,” by Sydney Duncan, describes the feelings the author gets when life is simple and carefree, in that one moment. She pleasantly tells a story of how her perception of the world has differed then and now. Her adolescent self saw skies that stretched to no end, and now she sees that the only thing separating us from one another is really nothing.
In just five flowing stanzas, Sydney had managed to depict the rush and sensibility of a single experience when everything else in the world didn’t matter. She illustrates the moment when you’re running up a hill and you get to the top, all flustered and out of breath, and you sense the serenity and calm stillness. Then you feel the peace of mind, like how you used to feel when you were young and youthful, and what else can we do but reminisce on those good times? This poem was finely written with a charming voice and leaves readers wistful as they remember those simple times.