The poem can be described as an elegy because it mourns the loss or death of someone or something. The speaker reflects on the impact of the sun on the person described in the poem and recounts how it used to awaken him and bring life to various elements, such as seeds and clays. However, the current state of the person is different, and the mention of "this morning and this snow" suggests a significant change or a sense of coldness, implying death. The poem expresses a lamentation for the loss of vitality or the inability of the sun to revive what was once vibrant. This mournful tone and reflection on the passage of time align with the characteristics of an elegy.
It cannot be a sonnet. Though it may contain 14 lines, it does not contain iambic pentametre lines or a definite rhyme scheme.