Elegy for My Father, Who Is Not Dead

This poem's tone cannot be described as optimistic or pessimistic. There are aspects of both within the poem. The son has a pessimistic attitude towards death and the father has an optimistic view towards death. The father is ready for death and the son is not. The father has an 'itch to see fresh worlds." The son is not condescending towards his father's view on death. He states what his father believes and he states he does not believe it. The son is not ready for death or for his father to die.