Do you think the boy has lost anything earlier? Pick out the words that suggest the answer.
No, the boy has not lost anything earlier. This appears to be his very first encounter with the profound feeling of loss, which is why it affects him so deeply.
The words that suggest this are "ultimate shaking grief", which indicates that this is his most extreme and final experience of sadness so far. Additionally, the line "He senses first responsibility" directly implies that this is his initial realization of duty and loss. Finally, the poet states he is learning "what every man must one day know", confirming that this is his first time experiencing such a profound loss.
Explanation
The question asks whether the boy has experienced loss before and requires textual evidence. The poem indicates this is his first loss. The phrase 'ultimate shaking grief' shows the extreme nature of his reaction, typical of a first loss. The lines 'He senses first responsibility' and 'what every man must one day know' explicitly point to this being his initial encounter with the concept of loss and the responsibility that comes with it.