It Stole Along So Stealthy

It Stole Along So Stealthy - meaning Summary

Quiet, Covert Loss

The short poem describes a gradual, almost imperceptible loss that only becomes evident after it has happened. The speaker observes a stealthy, dim diminishing of possession or control—something once theirs begins to slip away without an obvious start. The mood is understated and ambiguous, leaving the object of loss unnamed so readers may read it as material possession, feeling, agency, or a relationship. The poem emphasizes the retrospective realization of absence rather than the moment of taking, inviting reflection on how change often arrives quietly.