The poem
I am the family face; Flesh perishes, I live on, Projecting trait and trace Through time to times anon, And leaping from place to place Over oblivion.
The years-heired feature that can In curve and voice and eye Despise the human span Of durance -- that is I; The eternal thing in man, That heeds no call to die
I think its one of the greatest poems ever written because the message puts life into perspective; which is particularly important as we humans get caught up in the now and only see the present - and forget that we are simply the current edition of our ancient selves which strives to live on.
Immortality
This is a favourite of mine, the poem provides comfort on two fronts. Firstly for those sons and daughters left behind to have comfort in the knowledge that they and their offspring, and so on for generations, immortalise their late parents. Secondly it provides comfort for those with offspring who fear in death that they will be forgotten that they will live on through their children and their childrens children.