Defend the Poet

I actually really liked this poem. I guess it was supposed to be depressing, but I couldn't help but laugh at how everything progresses and how true it was- at the irony of life. I was really surprised that this wasn't a more recent poem and wondered how he predicted all of these events. What did the people think of him back then? What do they think of him now, that they have witnessed the tragedies and events claim lives?