Famous Death Poem

Edna St. Vincent Millay (1892-1950) was considered one of the most skillful writers of sonnets during the 1900s. This poem is a Petrarchan sonnet that follows the rhyme scheme ABBA ABBA CDEECD. She writes of the pain experienced from the death of a loved one. Everything reminds her of him, and the passing of time does not ease the immense hurt she is experiencing, even though people said it would. Anyone who has lost someone they’ve loved will be able to relate to the raw emotion in this poem.

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I relate to her deep pain, I lost my precious son Chris a little over 3 years ago, suddenly. Now my heart and my soul are shattered forever on this earth, my life altered. I'm yet in that...

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Famous Poem

Time Does Not Bring Relief (Sonnet II)

Edna St. Vincent Millay By more Edna St. Vincent Millay

Time does not bring relief; you all have lied   
Who told me time would ease me of my pain!   
I miss him in the weeping of the rain;   
I want him at the shrinking of the tide;
The old snows melt from every mountain-side,   
And last year’s leaves are smoke in every lane;   
But last year’s bitter loving must remain
Heaped on my heart, and my old thoughts abide.   
There are a hundred places where I fear   
To go,—so with his memory they brim.   
And entering with relief some quiet place   
Where never fell his foot or shone his face   
I say, “There is no memory of him here!”   
And so stand stricken, so remembering him.

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  • Chis Evelin by Chis Evelin
  • 1 year ago

My grandma was very sick. She was only 54 years old when she died (3 months ago and I am only 13). She had stage 4 cancer. When it was her last days, she needed to go to the hospital. On her last day we needed to go to the hospital to say goodbye. Before she died, she held my hand tight and told me to never forget her, and that she will always be there for me. And till this day an orange cat keeps following me to my way to school. Love you grandma.

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I relate to her deep pain, I lost my precious son Chris a little over 3 years ago, suddenly. Now my heart and my soul are shattered forever on this earth, my life altered. I'm yet in that same summer day. I yet smell his sweet essence only a loved one knows, especially in his bedroom. Sometimes I think I hear him walking through the rooms of the house, in his room upstairs, I smile, then I cry. I want to go places we all enjoyed together as a family before he left us, but I just cannot bring myself to go to those special places without him beside us smiling as he always did. I look through all of the pictures, those beautiful memories of my Chris in time. I smile, then I cry. I want him back with me, but that cannot happen here on this earth, so I wait in anticipation, same as I did when I awaited his birth into this world. She relays her long-lasting sorrow, there are a hundred places she fears to go because with his memory they brim. So bitter sweet are the emotions, I know this feeling well.

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  • Bronwyn by Bronwyn
  • 2 years ago

God took you home 5 days ago. He gave you to me to love for 38 years. You were my hero. You were my security, friend, lover, companion, provider. My heart is at such a deep loss of your love and presence. At a loss of never watching you walk up the steps coming home from work while I'm in the kitchen cooking our dinner. Us, eyes connecting through the window, followed by a smile. Knowing we both were glad to spend the evening together. I miss your smell, your hand reaching for mine. So many little things I ache to have again. I want you back. I want you back. Now I've got to learn how to live without you. How? How do I move forward? You were my all. I pray that time will pass by quickly to heal my brokenness. For how can a heart endure so much sorrow for a long space of time?

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  • Pramod Pasi by Pramod Pasi
  • 3 years ago

It's 28 February 2021 and today I just lost love of my life forever. We both loved each other a lot, but we could not hold our hands. It feels like I'm dying from inside and it reminds me of every single second I spent with her during our relationship. I wish I were with her for the rest of my life. But now it's killing me.

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  • KP-S by KP-S
  • 3 years ago

My husband passed a month ago. I am filled with so much grief. Everything reminds me of him. I'm told time heals. I wish it moves quicker so that I can heal, but it seems to be standing still. The pain is so deep. Everyone is moving on with their lives; they seem to have forgotten about him. I can't. I have so many questions. I wish to see him one more time and tell him how much I love him, even though I told him a thousand times before.

How do I move on?
How do I make the pain better?
How do I become strong?
How do I live?

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  • Jds by Jds
  • 2 years ago

I am in the 20th year of my daughter's death. That anniversary comes this October. Maya Angelou wrote a poem, one of many, about a great soul dying. Part of it says this:

"When great souls die,
the air around us becomes
light, rare, sterile.
We breathe, briefly.
Our eyes, briefly,
see with
a hurtful clarity."

What I did when my daughter died was find and read everything I could about the death of a child - books upon books. What we, you and I, are living is the agony of the deep, unreachable pain that is as big as our love for them was and is. I can tell you that the pain does ease over time. We get our wits back, at least part of them. We just keep on keeping on, one step at a time. We have to be very gentle with ourselves and avoid anything or anyone who believes they know what we know. They don't, of course, and imagine how strange we must seem when we don't do what they think we should. Look for words written by others who have lost their life partner - they know.

  • June Madden by June Madden
  • 2 years ago

I lost my husband 10 years ago on October 3, 2011. We were married for 51 years. The grief you are feeling will always be with you, but the pain will become tolerable, and you must try to move on into your new life. I tried to stay in my house but, it was too much for me. I bought an apartment condo all on one floor. For the first time in my life, I was in charge of everything. That's scary, but the good Lord has helped me through. He's given me strength and confidence that I never thought I had. Thank Him for each day you have left because you are here for a reason. Live one day at a time. Know that Jesus never lets go of your hand guiding you along the way. Please remember that. "Let the morning bring the word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you, I entrust my life." Psalm 143:8

  • Gloria Veilleux Brock by Gloria Veilleux Brock
  • 3 years ago

My husband left me 3 days ago. I never knew the pain would be this bad. Husband, you told me you wanted to live till you were 125, but it seems somebody had other plans. I miss your smile, the little things you did, my morning cuddles. I miss you. My heart is broken knowing I will never see you again. Can't get over the pain of losing you. Everybody says it will get easier. How can it get easier if everything around me reminds me of you? Your recliner, your smell on your 6 pillows on the bed. You left too soon. I will never be the same. My one true love of 47 years. I love you, and a part of my heart went with you. May we be together again.

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  • Kath Townsend by Kath Townsend
  • 4 years ago

Great anger and sadness are written in your words. I feel your pain in the written words. May you find peace and some acceptance when the anger leaves you.

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  • Julie by Julie
  • 4 years ago

No, time doesn't heal the pain. Trust me, on the day you went away, I cried hard that day. I miss you so much. I wished that we would have gone together. Yeah, they lied when they said give it time. You left me without saying goodbye. The pain only gets worse with time. Yes, my love, I am rolling lonely because you left me without saying goodbye. All I want is you to hold me. The pain in my heart is so bad. The pain doesn't go away. I look for you to end the hurt and pain. Tears fill my eyes.

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  • Elizabeth Gullett by Elizabeth Gullett
  • 2 years ago

He wasn't going to die, he'll be home in 4 days, the doctors said. So I packed our bags for the trip of our lifetime. I cleaned out the new RV we bought with our retirement money, you know, to prepare for the journey, the one we planned on for 41 years. The trip of my lifetime, driving my car from the hospital after I agreed to have his life support removed. I was alone. The trip didn't end as I pulled behind our beloved RV and I sat numb for an hour. I had to walk into the house. I had to drink water, eat, breathe. He died 5 months ago. I am in agony. I am in shock. I'm so tired of missing him, but it doesn't stop. Nothing prepares us for this journey - nothing.

  • Adil Saleemi by Adil Saleemi
  • 4 years ago

I'm crying inside for my Soulmate. So sorry for your loss. You're in my thoughts and prayers

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