The only difference between the old light and the new is that one cannot find a boat, while the other cannot find a shore.

Here, the poet contrasts tradition and modernity through the evocative imagery of a voyage at sea. The 'old light' represents the past, which had clarity of purpose and moral grounding (the shore) but lacked the resources or modern agency (the boat) to sail forward. In contrast, the modern world has every advancement and vessel to navigate life, yet wanders aimlessly, struggling to find a shore of inner peace and true destination.