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What are the abstract and philosophical elements of the poem "Birches"?

As an adult, the speaker longs to swing on birches again. He notes how swinging on the birches is a temporary escape from the earth.


I’d like to get away from earth awhileAnd then come back to it and begin over. 


When he was young, swinging on the trees was simply a matter of play. As an older man, and more reflective, he sees the practice of swinging in more philosophical terms. He wants...

As an adult, the speaker longs to swing on birches again. He notes how swinging on the birches is a temporary escape from the earth.



I’d like to get away from earth awhile
And then come back to it and begin over. 



When he was young, swinging on the trees was simply a matter of play. As an older man, and more reflective, he sees the practice of swinging in more philosophical terms. He wants to "get away" from the earth for a while, but then he wants to come back and repeat the process. This idea of getting away could be something as simple (and abstract) as daydreaming or living in one's imagination.


He may imply that he wants to be young again, or, at least, he wants to feel young again. Combined with these notions of dreaming and feeling young again is the more spiritual metaphor of moving between heaven and earth. As he swings up, he moves toward heaven and then he comes back down to earth. He does not want to escape from the earth completely and this indicates that he is happy in life and does not want to die. He only wants to briefly touch and/or dream of heaven.



May no fate willfully misunderstand me
And half grant what I wish and snatch me away
Not to return. Earth’s the right place for love:
I don’t know where it’s likely to go better. 



While leaving earth and coming back could imply living multiple lives, the abstract escape the speaker is dreaming of here might be as simple as a temporary escape from his daily routine.

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