Valley of Life | Online Memorial Blog

Today, in honor of Black History month, Valley of Life is highlighting African-American poet James Weldon Johnson (1817-1939). Born in Florida, Johnson attended Atlanta University with the intention that his education would further the interests of the black people. As a result, Johnson composed a number of influential pieces during his lifetime. In 1900, he wrote a song for Lincoln’s birthday that eventually became known as the “Negro National Anthem.” In 1920, he became the national organizer for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Below, Johnson composed a poetic funeral sermon: (more…)

To celebrate Black History month, Valley of Life is featuring poetry composed by the black community in America. An earlier poet, Langston Hughes (1902-1967), was well-known for his literary works during a period called the “Harlem Renaissance.” Below, Hughes offers his thoughts on the ability to honor one’s death through a poem he composed about a funeral in Harlem.

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Henry Scott Holland (1847-1918) was a professor of divinity at the University of Oxford as well as a canon of Christ Church in Oxford. Holland delivered a sermon (titled “The King of Terrors”) in May of 1910 following the death of King Edward VII in which he explored certain nuances of death. In his discussion of this sermon, Holland wrote what is perhaps his most well-known work, “Death is Nothing at All.” While originally transcribed in paragraph form, Holland’s prose has been re-formatted to augment its natural poetic meter.

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In 1998, the following poem was confirmed to have been composed by Mary Elizabeth Frye, as this fact was disputed for a number of years.  The poem is unique in that it is written from the perspective of the deceased, not the mourning. It’s easy to see why this particular piece has become a popular reading at funerals — it’s spiritual imagery and commanding but poetic voice help reassure the listener of the deceased’s continuing life, as contradictory as that may sound. In fact, the author does a remarkable job of reminding us our loved ones live on in the still, small moments and the loud, grand moments alike. Personally, I appreciate the way Frye takes her reader on a journey: at first, she begins with a sorrowful subject, no doubt, mourning the loss of a loved one, but over the course of her prose, she successfully leads the reader to a sense of joy. Quite the feat. (more…)

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. (more…)