Explain the meaning of "A Time Past."

In my opinion, this poem means that, although time passes,
we keep what is important in our hearts.  These things that we retain are much more
important than the physical things that we lose.

We can see
this in how the physical things in this poem have been lost.  Specifically, the wooden
steps are no longer there.  They are off somewhere, waiting to be
burned.

Even though the steps are no longer there, the
memories that are associated with them are there.  They linger in the speaker's heart
and they make her happy even after time passes and physical things are
gone.