When I am dead, my dearest - A poem by Christina Rossetti

Christina Rossetti - When I am dead, my dearest

When I am dead, my dearest,
Sing no sad songs for me;
Plant thou no roses at my head,
Nor shady cypress tree:
Be the green grass above me
With showers and dewdrops wet;
And if thou wilt, remember,
And if thou wilt, forget.

I shall not see the shadows,
I shall not feel the rain;
I shall not hear the nightingale
Sing on, as if in pain:
And dreaming through the twilight
That doth not rise nor set,
Haply I may remember,
And haply may forget.

Added: on September 30th, 2005 at 10:15 PM | Viewed: 4117 times | Comments (9)

When I am dead, my dearest - Comments and Information
Poet: Christina Rossetti Poem: When I am dead, my dearest Poem of the Day on: Oct 10 2005 Comment 9 of 9, added on April 1st, 2007 at 1:44 AM. I would recommend anyone who is doing some kind of poem analysis or assignment to do it on "When I am dead, my dearest". My literature teacher has given us and oral presentation to do on a famous poet and recite to the class one of their poems. He gave me Christina Rossetti. I didn't know what to expect but i was estatic when i read some of her poems. They were so descriptive and meaningful, anyone could relate to them. "When I am dead, my dearest" automatically clicked with me and i have decided to recite this poem. With myself only in year 10, I feel so connected to her poems that were written hundreds of year ago. Shiralee from Australia Comment 8 of 9, added on December 21st, 2005 at 9:43 PM. This poem means alot to me, i think it's the way Christina words things, i even used it in an english assignment for grade 9. To me personally the poem was beautifully captivating! "I shall not hear the nightengale sing on as if in pain" that part means alot to me as well, as if to leave the pain that you posses and just be able to let go and forget..."Hapily may remember, and haply may forget" again, being able to forget pain, but also saying this to her "dearest" is a display of love, in my humble opinion, as if she doesn't want this person to suffer for her death, but remember her the way she was, and in a sense forget that there was ever any pain there at all...well those are my feelings towards this poem! i love it! hope more people do too! Samantha from Canada Comment 7 of 9, added on September 30th, 2005 at 10:15 PM. I think the poem is about a woman who is sick and is going to die. She is thinking to herself about her lover and what it will be like when she dies. She wants to be remembered but by the line where she says, "Yet if you should forget me for a while", she realises that she would rather have the person she loves forget her and be happy than grieve over her memory. I hope this helps. Christina from Australia More Comments >> Are you looking for more information on this poem? Perhaps you are trying to analyze it? The poem, When I am dead, my dearest, has received 9 comments. Click here to read them, and perhaps post a comment of your own. Of course you can also always discuss poems by Christina Rossetti with others on the Poetry Connection poetry forum!

Poem Info
When I am dead, my dearest Last read: 2008-07-08 11:15:17 Poem of the Day on: Oct 10 2005 Viewed 4117 times. Added on September 30th, 2005 at 10:15 PM.

Rossetti Info
Biography More Poems (56 poems) Books