The poem is built on small reversals of phrasing. The speaker describes an urge to clap, to applaud, but not "to give a hand," meaning to actually help. Then comes another split: to serve, as one serves a role or a meal, but never to "service," a word that suggests maintenance, or perhaps something more transactional. The title, "Pride goeth," echoes the old saying that pride comes before a fall, so these lines read like a quiet self-accusation: showing approval is easy, doing the work is harder.
The last two lines shift to the woods "we fell," which feel "familiar as any friend." The image is unsettling. We destroy something we know well, almost with affection. The mood is wry, uneasy and a little guilty. Judging by the imagery, the poem hints that casual familiarity with nature, or with people, can sit comfortably beside harm we barely notice ourselves doing.