The poet anticipates his own death, and includes the chance that the young man might die first. When the poet dies he will be soon forgotten, but when the young man dies he will live on as the subject of the poet's verse. This sonnet is distinct for its plain-spoken, simple collection of thoughtful statements. Most of the lines could be plucked out and joined at random to most other lines, and they would form complete and reasonable sentences. It is also distinct for its scarcity of metaphor.