It's actually a poem about a young man's love for a woman. The speaker, a young sailor, is longing for his love who lives far away, and he's imagining her as a young, beautiful woman.
The poem focuses on the speaker's idealized vision of his lover and the pain of being separated from her. It doesn't explicitly mention aging or the speaker's own fears about getting old.
Here's a more detailed summary of the poem's central themes:
* Longing for love: The speaker yearns for his beloved, wishing he could be with her. He uses vivid imagery to describe her beauty and his love for her.
* Distance and separation: The poem highlights the pain of being separated from someone you love. The speaker feels lonely and isolated, dreaming of being with his love.
* Idealization of beauty: The speaker paints an idealized picture of his lover, focusing on her youth and beauty.
* Hope for the future: Despite the pain of separation, the speaker holds onto hope that he will be reunited with his love.
While the poem doesn't directly address the theme of growing old, it's possible to interpret it as a reflection on the fragility of youth and the fleeting nature of time, which are often associated with aging.