"I had assumed that I would age with all my friends growing old around me, dying off very gradually one by one. And here was a plague that cut them off so early"

This quote by Thom Gunn speaks to the suddenness and unexpectedness of death. He had assumed that he would age with his friends, growing old together and passing away off one by one with time. However, the pester that he is describing has cut them off so early, leaving him with a sense of shock and disbelief. This quote talks to the fragility of life and how rapidly it can be taken away. It also talks to the value of cherishing the time we have actually with our liked ones, as we never know when it will be eliminated. This quote is a suggestion to appreciate the time we have with our family and friends, and to maximize it.