The echoing green by William Blake explains the whole life of a person that include alternative times of morning, afternoon, and night, in a persons life. These all have the symbolic explanation according to his view. According to him morning is the energy & vitality of childhood.
Afternoon represents the middle age and lastly evening/night ends in old age & death.By explaining all these he clearly makes a difference between childhood and old age. He describes three pictures:
In the first stanza nature comes to life early in the morning even the bells ring merrily (the bells cheer full sound) these reflect energy, happiness and freedom. Old John looking and remembering the past when seeing g the children playing in the second stanza. It is the middle age represented by him.Lastly he explains the old age by the old oak tree. It is the end and all the energy vanishes.