Three short images, each about something that looks threatening but turns out not to be. An enemy shows up on a distant hill, and the poem says this is "no disaster for the hill." That's a neat shift in viewpoint: instead of seeing the enemy through human fear, we see the land, which simply stays put. Then there's a stream "singing to the bridge," so far beyond fear that it doesn't even register the idea. Finally, the night stays "safe / however we roar."
The title, "The long view," explains the stance. The speaker looks at things from far enough back that human conflict shrinks. Hills, water and darkness go on being themselves while people shout and fight. The mood is quiet and steady, with a hint of wry humor in that last "roar," which makes our noise sound a bit small. It could feel cold, but it reads more like consolation. The speaker seems to find comfort in how little our alarms disturb the world around us.