Poetry Analysis

When I am dead, my dearest

Original Poetry

Translation

When I am dead, my dearest

When I am dead, my dear,

By Christina Rossetti

Don't sing any sad songs for me;

Don't plant roses at my grave,

When I am dead, my dearest,

Or a shady cypress tree:

Sing no sad songs for me;

Let the green grass grow over me,

Plant thou no roses at my head,

Wet with rain and dew;

Nor shady cypress tree:

And if you want, remember me,

Be the green grass above me

And if you want, forget.

With showers and dewdrops wet;

And if thou wilt, remember,

I won't see the shadows,

And if thou wilt, forget.

I won't feel the rain;

I won't hear the nightingale

I shall not see the shadows,

Sing as if it's in pain:

I shall not feel the rain;

And dreaming in the twilight

I shall not hear the nightingale

That doesn't change,

Sing on, as if in pain:

Maybe I'll remember,

And dreaming through the twilight

And maybe I'll forget.

That doth not rise nor set,

Haply I may remember,

And haply may forget.

Explanation

Christina Rossetti's poem 'When I am dead, my dearest' is a meditation on death and remembrance. The speaker addresses a loved one, expressing a desire for a simple, natural burial without the traditional symbols of mourning like sad songs or flowers. The speaker's acceptance of death is conveyed through the imagery of green grass and dewdrops, suggesting a return to nature. In the second stanza, the speaker reflects on the sensory experiences they will miss in death, such as shadows, rain, and the song of the nightingale. The poem concludes with an acceptance of the uncertainty of memory, acknowledging that the speaker may or may not be remembered. This acceptance of oblivion and the transient nature of memory reflects Rossetti's exploration of mortality, influenced by her religious beliefs and personal experiences with illness.

Word Dictionary9

Word	Easy Meaning	Translation	Pron.
dearest	most beloved	most loved or cherished person	dee-uh-rist
thou	you	old-fashioned form of 'you'	thou
wilt	will	old-fashioned form of 'will'	wilt
cypress	a type of tree	a tree often associated with mourning	sai-pres
haply	perhaps	by chance or perhaps	hap-lee
doth	does	old-fashioned form of 'does'	doth
twilight	dusk	the time of day just after sunset	twai-lait
nightingale	a type of bird	a bird known for its beautiful song	nai-ting-gail
dew	morning moisture	tiny drops of water that form on cool surfaces at night	doo

Poet & Context

PoetChristina Georgina Rossetti

EraVictorian

Christina Georgina Rossetti (1830–1894) was an English poet known for her romantic and devotional poems. She was associated with the Pre-Raphaelite movement and wrote famous works like 'Goblin Market'. Her poetry often explored themes of death, memory, and faith.

View on Wikipedia

WhenPublished in 1862

WhyThe poem reflects Rossetti's contemplation of death and the transient nature of memory and mourning. It is part of her broader exploration of themes like mortality and the afterlife, influenced by her religious faith and personal experiences with illness and depression.

FormLyric poem

Themes & More

Themes

deathmemorynatureacceptance

Literary devices

imagery: vivid descriptions of nature and burialrepetition: 'And if thou wilt, remember, And if thou wilt, forget' emphasizes choicecontrast: between life and death, memory and forgetfulnessalliteration: 'showers and dewdrops wet' creates a musical quality

Poetry Analysis

When I am dead, my dearest

Original Poetry

Translation

When I am dead, my dearest

When I am dead, my dear,

By Christina Rossetti

Don't sing any sad songs for me;

Don't plant roses at my grave,

When I am dead, my dearest,

Or a shady cypress tree:

Sing no sad songs for me;

Let the green grass grow over me,

Plant thou no roses at my head,

Wet with rain and dew;

Nor shady cypress tree:

And if you want, remember me,

Be the green grass above me

And if you want, forget.

With showers and dewdrops wet;

And if thou wilt, remember,

I won't see the shadows,

And if thou wilt, forget.

I won't feel the rain;

I won't hear the nightingale

I shall not see the shadows,

Sing as if it's in pain:

I shall not feel the rain;

And dreaming in the twilight

I shall not hear the nightingale

That doesn't change,

Sing on, as if in pain:

Maybe I'll remember,

And dreaming through the twilight

And maybe I'll forget.

That doth not rise nor set,

Haply I may remember,

And haply may forget.

Explanation

Word Dictionary9

Word	Easy Meaning	Translation	Pron.
dearest	most beloved	most loved or cherished person	dee-uh-rist
thou	you	old-fashioned form of 'you'	thou
wilt	will	old-fashioned form of 'will'	wilt
cypress	a type of tree	a tree often associated with mourning	sai-pres
haply	perhaps	by chance or perhaps	hap-lee
doth	does	old-fashioned form of 'does'	doth
twilight	dusk	the time of day just after sunset	twai-lait
nightingale	a type of bird	a bird known for its beautiful song	nai-ting-gail
dew	morning moisture	tiny drops of water that form on cool surfaces at night	doo

Poet & Context

PoetChristina Georgina Rossetti

EraVictorian

View on Wikipedia

WhenPublished in 1862

FormLyric poem

Themes & More

Themes

deathmemorynatureacceptance

Literary devices