Tag Archives: Death Poetry

Memorial Day Poem: “Vigil Strange I Kept on the Field One Night”

Death of a son and comrade

Memorial Day has its roots in the American Civil War. Both the North and South wanted to set aside days to honor their dead. After World War I, the country set aside a day to honor all Americans killed in … Continue reading

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“I Have a Rendezvous with Death” by Alan Seeger

A young poet foretells his own death

Poet Alan Seeger wrote “I Have a Rendezvous with Death” sometime during World War I. His premonition proved accurate. Seeger was shot in the stomach and died in 1916 during the Battle of Somme. The first few lines of “I Have … Continue reading

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“The Radiance Sutras” translated by Lorin Roche, Ph.D



New translation of ancient yogic text contains universal meditations for deep living

The Vijnana Bhairava Tantra — recently translated by Lorin Roche, Ph.D. as “The Radiance Sutras: 112 Gateways to the Yoga of Wonder and Delight,” has no known date of origin or author, though it originates from the land we know today … Continue reading

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“Septimus” by Rachel Wetzsteon

A personal look at a poem considering the tragedy and beauty that accompany both life and death

So often we are conditioned to think of death as something tragic. And, undoubtedly, losing someone is heartbreaking. It shakes your entire world. It changes the way you move through your day to day. I had been, for many years, the … Continue reading

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“Last Words” by Sylvia Plath

Sylvia Plath's funeral poem imagines what her ideal burial would look like

Sylvia Plath was both haunted and mesmerized by death. Suffering from depression at an early age, Plath’s poetry deeply encapsulates how she felt about dying. Her depression often evaporated her fear of death, which gave her a novel perspective on … Continue reading

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“A Slumber Did My Spirit Seal” by William Wordsworth

William Wordsworth captures grief over a lost loved one in eight short lines

How many lines does a poet need to write in order to record a loved one’s death? Of course, the story of a person’s death, as with their life, goes further than any number of words can express. British Romantic … Continue reading

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