Elegy for My Father, Who is Not Dead

This poem is speaking about the future. It includes a lot of symbolism between the father and the son. The father equals strong faith and conviction. The son is doubt and uncertainty. There is a father vs. son comparison throughout this entire poem. The father is optimistic. He talks about life after death. He also thinks that he will be reunited with son after he dies. The son is extremely pessimistic. He thinks that the "ship will sink". He doesn't believe that he will have life after death. Death is compared to a trip. The "new world" is a metaphor for the after life. Father has the positive attitude. The son has a negative attitude.