“On Death” from “The Prophet” by Kahlil Gibran

A man beholds the secret of death, that it and life are one

Then Almitra spoke, saying, We would ask now of Death.

And he said:
You would know the secret of death.
But how shall you find it unless you seek it in the heart of life?

The owl whose night-bound eyes are blind unto the day cannot unveil the mystery of light.
If you would indeed behold the spirit of death, open your heart wide unto the body of life.
For life and death are one, even as the river and the sea are one.

In the depth of your hopes and desires lies your silent knowledge of the beyond;
And like seeds dreaming beneath the snow your heart dreams of spring.

Trust the dreams, for in them is hidden the gate to eternity.

Kahlil Gibran is a Lebanese-American poet who dominated the early twentieth century. Gibran’s best-known work, “The Prophet,” was published in 1923. The book is a collection of prose poetry fables highlighting various human conditions of life including joy, sorrow, freedom, passion, pain, friendship, religion and death.

The above passage is the chapter entitled “On Death.” The book’s main character, Al Mustafa, responds to a woman’s query on the subject. This inspirational poem on death implores us to behold the spirit of death. In other words, Gibran is asking us to appreciate, assimilate, grasp, perceive and sense that death IS life, itself. Neither exists mutually exclusive of the other.

He then expounds on key notions to help us to recognize that a true understanding of death can only come from life’s hopes, dreams, and desires.  Gibran then touches upon the fear that can often overshadow those sentiments.

Your fear of death is but the trembling of the shepherd when he stands before the king whose hand is to be laid upon him in honour.
Is the shepherd not joyful beneath his trembling, that he shall wear the mark of the king?
Yet is he not more mindful of his trembling?

Fear of the unknown can be particularly paralyzing when we question our own mortality. But Gibran invites us to, perhaps, view death as a moment of grandiose transition in life, much like the honor bestowed upon the shepherd.

Lastly, he reminds the reader that if we release the fear that death may have upon us, we may very well enjoy living. The secret of death is to let go of fear, so that we may savor life.

A woman releases her fear of death while embracing life

For what is it to die but to stand naked in the wind and to melt into the sun?
And what is it to cease breathing, but to free the breath from its restless tides, that it may rise and expand and seek God unencumbered?

Only when you drink from the river of silence shall you indeed sing.
And when you have reached the mountain top, then you shall begin to climb.

And when the earth shall claim your limbs, then shall you truly dance.

“The Prophet” has been translated into 100 languages and has never been out of print since 1923. You can purchase a hard copy or download a digital version on Amazon.com.