The poet is clearly regretting the loss of his childhood, as seen by the words "oh, when I was young." The exclamation "oh" was selected by the poet to show his remorse. This emphasizes the poet's warm and exalted memories of his boyhood. Fern Hill is a neighborhood in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. It is located between North Charles Street on the north, West Franklin Street on the south, East Lexington Avenue on the west, and East 25th Street on the east. The area was originally farmland that was settled around 1770. In 1854, the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway built a line through the area, which led to its development as a suburb of Baltimore. Today, Fern Hill is an affluent community with large houses set on spacious lawns. It is also known for its antique shops and specialty food stores. Fern Hill was the setting for Edgar Allan Poe's last residence before he became famous. The poet lived at 629 W. 27th Street from 1848 until his death in 1849. During that time, he wrote many of his poems, including "The Raven", "Annabel Lee", and "Ulalume". In conclusion, the speaker in this poem is mourning the loss of his youthful innocence because it has been brutally taken away from him by life.