"before its close—..."See in text(Text of the Poem)
The speaker alludes to two metaphorical deaths that have elapsed. From its start, the poem is intensely conscious of mortality, referring to the end of the speaker’s life—“its close”—well before the event. The nature of these deaths is not specified, but we can assume they are instances of great loss: deaths or departures of loved ones. The impact of grief and tragedy on one’s life is the poem’s central theme.
