The speaker looks back at a younger version of themselves and their friends, and the memory comes in fragments rather than a tidy story. They were "a hit," and "pretty," but the poem quickly undercuts that confidence: only the hands were handsome. It reads like a half-joking correction, the way people tease themselves when remembering how they once thought they looked.
The final lines are the most striking. Being "easily stirred" suggests they were quick to feel things, whether excitement, desire, or restlessness. Then comes "as green as boats," an odd and lovely comparison. Green can mean inexperienced, and boats suggest something bobbing, unanchored, ready to be pushed around by the water. The mention of night adds a sense of secrecy and possibility.
The mood is affectionate and a little wistful. The speaker isn't mourning lost youth so much as smiling at its awkwardness, its vanity, and its openness. The short, broken lines make the memory feel flickering and half-caught, as if it's slipping away as it's described.