The title tells us this it's an old poem because of the language and spelling used. Also it tells us that this poem is about is eldest son. The poem is an elegy meaning he laments the death of his eldest son and is expressing his grief through words and poetry. The general subject of this poem is the writer going through the misery of his son's death and it's a dedication of his deceased …
showed first 75 words of 963 total

showed last 75 words of 963 total
…they deserve and tell them how you feel about them even if it might seem sentimental let them know because if they died, you would have regrets you couldn't tell them how you felt. The languages he uses is very effective, he uses rhetorical questions throughout the poem like 'Will man lament the state he should envie?' it shows unanswered questions and confusion. The poem rhymes '..joy...boy' a lot throughout the poem.