Emily Dickinson | Farewell
Emily Dickinson is a giant. Not in reality, of course, but in the realm of funeral poetry, she stands a head above the rest. With literally hundreds of poems concerning life and death, Dickinson offers those who mourn comfort, understanding, and, perhaps most importantly, a way to meaningfully communicate a difficult subject. Though many of her works are haunted by gloom and sadness, her words beautifully express the darkness of death and leave us with glimpses of hope for the future. Below, Dickinson’s poem, “Farewell,” is an excellent example.
Tie the strings to my life, my Lord,
Then I am ready to go!
Just a look at the horses –
Rapid! That will do!
Put me in on the firmest side,
So I shall never fall;
For we must ride to the Judgment,
And it’s partly down hill.
But never I mind the bridges,
And never I mind the sea;
Held fast in everlasting race
By my own choice and thee.
Good-by to the life I used to live,
And the world I used to know;
And kiss the hills for me, just once;
Now I am ready to go!
–Emily Dickinson
Tags: Emily Dickinson, Farewell, funeral poetry
