Unseasonable
Unusual for a particular season—like snow well into spring, for example.
Friedrichstrasse
A bustling thoroughfare in Berlin, Germany that still exists today.
Quay
A wharf, or area near the shore where boats can dock.
"Yes and when"
The poem begins with this odd phrasing, almost as if the speaker is mid-sentence. Beginning the poem with “Yes” also introduces the tone, which is one of both reminiscence and foresight, as well as certainty within the speaker about our human situation.
"When was it so before"
Although this is not a grammatical structure we often use nowadays, the word “so” essentially means “like this” in this context.
Whom
As a rule of thumb, whom is often used to replace “him” or “her,” while “who” is often used to replace “he” or “she.”
