While the poem deals with a painful separation, it's more about the speaker's departure on a journey, likely a long one. The poem focuses on the love between the speaker and their beloved, and the need to maintain a calm and dignified farewell.
The speaker uses metaphors and imagery to describe the enduring nature of their love, suggesting that it will survive the physical separation. They compare their love to a compass needle, pointing to a fixed point, or a "virtuous men" that "send forth the soul of love, but keep the substance still."
Here's why it's not about death:
* No explicit mention of death: The poem doesn't directly mention death or dying.
* Focus on separation: The poem's theme revolves around parting ways and the desire to maintain a dignified and calm separation.
* Hopeful tone: The poem concludes with a hopeful note, suggesting that the love will endure and eventually reunite the lovers.
While the speaker's departure could be interpreted as a metaphorical death, the poem's overall tone and themes suggest a more literal interpretation of travel and separation.