Crossing the Bar

     The poem "Crossing the Bar" by Alfred, Lord Tennyson seems to be a metaphor for death. Throughout the whole poem, I expected the poem to be about death. However, the last stanza is what made me sure that is the poem's theme. It says, "I hope to see my Pilot face to face When I have crossed the bar" (886).  The bar he speaks of seems to be the passing between earth and heaven. The fact that Tennyson capitalized Pilot shows that the Pilot in his life is God. Being Catholic, I really like that he says God is his "Pilot." Just yesterday in my pre-calculus class with Mrs. Toner, she told us about an old popular bumper sticker that said "God is my co-pilot." She then told us "If God is your co-pilot, switch seats." She told us this because we need to let God control and lead all of our life, not just let him help sometimes. Obviously, the speaker of this poem feels the same way as Mrs. Toner. He lets his Pilot, God, lead him to his after life.