Song
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.
Commentary
A lovely if somewhat sentimental poem. Not perhaps as famous as ‘Goblin Market’, it is nonetheless a nice example of Rosetti’s style - somewhat melancholy, and permeated by the twilit boundary between life and death, waking and sleep. It is interesting to contrast her poems with those of Thomas Hardy, who took a similar but far harsher view of death and oblivion.
Biographical Note: Christina Rosetti, like her more famous brother Dante Gabriel Rosetti, belonged to the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. Her ‘Goblin Market’ was the first major success of the Brotherhood, and one she never quite equaled.
Perhaps she realized that she was unable to write anything better than “Goblin Market,” or perhaps her “failure” to surpass herself is explained by her turn away from poetry to children’s stories and religious materials.
– David Cody, on The Victorian Web
See http://www.stg.brown.edu/projects/hypertext/landow/victorian/crossetti/rossetti5.html
— Martin
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From the Wondering Minstrels mailing list, 1999–2008.
Haran · 12 November 2002
Is there some sort of pun on the wilt. That’ll be interesting
Tim Harvey · 21 January 2004
It would be an epitaph I’d be proud to bear. Not now, but some time.
Celine · 13 May 2004
I love this poem. Rossetti wrote a lot of death poems, this one is my favourite. Why haven’t you included ‘Goblin Market’ in the archive?
Celine · 13 May 2004
I love this poem personally, though Christina Rossetti has written lots and lots of poems about death, this is one of my favourites. Can ask why you do not have Goblin Market?
MMelanielm · 1 December 2004
Sentimental or not my 79yr old mother, who was a private poet, wants this read at her funeral. Thank’s for the site.
spunky · 14 February 2005
I would love a better understanding of this poem that was included in my sons suicide note to me.
Drew · 8 May 2006
It’s a poem about how when someone dies, the living shouldn’t worry about the one who died. If it pleases the living, they may remember the dead one. If not, so be it. The dead one may or may not remember life, so it’s a fair enough trade off to do as you feel inclined to do.
Alicia · 27 August 2007
Hi . I learned this poem “ Song “ by Ms. Christina Rosetti back in high school 1973. I am from Philippines and this was a part of our literature class. I was moved by this lovely but very sad poem. I could not forget this poem and I felt like it has touched my life. I can not recall the beautiful phrases though as was not able to keep a copy of it before. Thanks to you. I am so glad now to have a copy of this very meaningful poem.
Very truly yours,
Alicia S. Mayo
St. Anthony School, Philippines
High School Circa 1975