Crossing the Bar
By: Alfred, Lord Tennyson

I found this poem to be a bit confusing.  I don't really understand how the narrator is relating this ocean journey to his death.  He does mention his departure; but other than that, I am confused as to how this is about his death.  When the poem starts, the narrator says that the sun is setting as the evening star rises in the sky.  He explains that he hopes the tide "seems asleep."  He says that he wants the tide to be "too full" to have any sound or create any foam in the ocean.  As his journey continues, the speaker notes that it is now twilight.  Darkness fills the sky, as well as the ringing of the evening bell.  He says that he doesn't want anyone to be sad when he leaves.  "And may there be no sadness of farewell when I embark..." (886).  This is how I determined that the narrator is talking about his death.  However, I don't get how the rest of the poem relates to this.  At the end, he mentions that he hopes to meet his Pilot face to face.  Who is his Pilot?  Is this a real person, or is the speaker using symbolism?