The word is derived from the Greek 'thanatos' (death) and 'opsis' (view, sight). The poem is a somewhat comforting view of death, i.e., we all suffer the exact same fate in the end whether we die poor and obscure, or rich and famous. It does not consider religious concepts of life after death, or the value of living a good life, but is typical of the musings of a young man trying to figure things out. It was a challenge to read a poem having neither rhyme nor meter, (more elevated prose than poem). It is poignant nonetheless.