The unseen forces that influence our lives inspire some of the greatest works of art. As such, love and death are two of the most universal themes for poetry, as poets attempt to confront the unfathomable. Through their works, readers can attain a deeper understanding of death and its relationship with the human mind. While some poems revere death, others express existential dread at its ever-looming presence.
Death is a universal and timeless theme, featuring in poetry in every language since the beginning of the art form itself. This collection of the 10 best poems about death demonstrates the diversity of death’s depiction through verse, across the ages. You can view our guides for each poem and their accompanying PDF guides. Alongside each poem, we give a little commentary as to what the poem can teach us about death.
‘Aubade‘ by Philip Larkin
Central Message: Though death is terrifying, life moves on.
Speaker: A person experiencing existential dread.
Like many poets, Larkin uses personification to depict death as a living figure – remaining at the “edge of vision” throughout one’s life. It is silent, foreboding, and possesses absolute power; Larkin portrays death in its most terrifying and oppressive form. The speaker is paralyzed by death’s constant presence, unable to fathom their powerlessness. This poem confronts the question of how people live life, knowing death awaits them.
Till then I see what’s really always there:
Unresting death, a whole day nearer now,
Making all thought impossible but how
And where and when I shall myself die.
The speaker of the poem proceeds through life with a claustrophobic sense of existential dread, certain that no afterlife awaits them. Rather, death is “no sight, no sound, / No touch or taste or smell, nothing to think with, / Nothing to love or link with”. Despite the paralyzing fear felt by the speaker as they contemplate death, the final stanza highlights how life moves on. Larkin’s power over the mundane shines through as the poem ends on a note of unsettling normality.
What this poem teaches us
Knowing we’ll die makes regular moments matter more. Simple things like morning coffee or talking with friends become special when you remember life won’t last forever.
Explore more poems by Philip Larkin, many of which centre around the theme of death.
‘The Conqueror Worm‘ by Edgar Allan Poe
Central Message: Life is futile, and the only escape is death.
Speaker: A third-person objective speaker.
Poe is perhaps one of the most prolific writers to writer about death, due to his unique perception of the unseen force. This poem uses the titular “Conqueror Worm” as a symbol for death – its “blood-red” appearance is grotesque, carrying connotations of gory violence as it “writhes”. It consumes every human in its path, showing its incontrovertible power.
It writhes!—it writhes!—with mortal pangs
The mimes become its food,
And seraphs sob at vermin fangs
In human gore imbued.
In this memorable poem, Poe embraces the goriness of death, highlighting its inevitability as the performers are unable to outrun its rampage of destruction. Death in this poem is an eldritch horror: actualising its unfathomable nature through its size and power as the “Conqueror Worm”.
What this poem teaches us
Everyone dies. Rich, poor, young, old. This connects us all. When you feel alone, remember every person who ever lived faced the same thing you’re facing.
Being such a gothic poet at heart, it is well worth exploring more poems by Edgar Allan Poe.
‘Because I could not stop for Death‘ by Emily Dickinson
Central Message: Death is filled with uncertainty, but does not have to be frightening.
Speaker: A woman in the afterlife.
This poem features the personification of death, immortality, and eternity as the speaker describes her journey into the afterlife. Unlike the previous poem, this speaker welcomes death as a friend. “He” is depicted as a kind, gentle guide into the afterlife. Dickinson removes the fear from death, adopting a confident tone which implies certainty about the hereafter.
Because I could not stop for Death–
He kindly stopped for me–
The Carriage held but just Ourselves-
And Immortality.
Through Dickinson’s gentle depiction of death, readers can find comfort in the idea of some form of afterlife. This shows how death should be accepted as a natural consequence to living, not a cruel force which wrenches one away from life. His pace is leisurely as he escorts the speaker, reflecting his reposeful nature.
What this poem teaches us
Death doesn’t have to be scary. Maybe it’s just the next thing that happens. Like moving to a new house or starting a new job. Different, but not necessarily bad.
Explore more poems by Emily Dickinson.
‘Death, be not proud‘ by John Donne
Central Message: Death is not ultimate – it is a transition to eternal life.
Speaker: A person directly addressing death.
While most other poems revere or fear death, this poem is somewhat disrespectful of death in the speaker’s rejection of its power. However, like many other poems in this list, death is personified in this dramatic monologue. Donne provides an interesting view of death, which is depicted as a “slave” to that which kills: war, poison, and sickness. The speaker uses direct address to warn death that it will not yet be able to kill them.
One short sleep past, we wake eternally,
And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die.
These final two lines of the poem show that dying is but a “short sleep”, guiding humans into eternal life. In this afterlife, death ceases to exist – effectively dying itself. This ends the poem on a rebellious note, as the speaker undermines death and threatens it with its own force.
What this poem teaches us
The love you give and receive? That stays. Your body might stop working, but the good you did keeps going. People remember. Hearts change because of you.
Discover more poems by John Donne.
‘When Death Comes’ by Mary Oliver
Central Message: One should welcome death with curiosity, not fear.
Speaker: Someone contemplating their own death.
This beautiful poem is more contemporary than the others, as it was published in 1992. Like the previous poems in this list, death is personified in this poem. Notably, “his” depiction contrasts with the poem: he is brutal and animalistic, yet the speaker welcomes death and the new possibilities he will bring. The afterlife becomes a “cottage of darkness”, homely and familiar, yet entirely unknown.
when death comes
like an iceberg between the shoulder blades,I want to step through the door full of curiosity, wondering:
In this poem, Oliver highlights the distinction between death and the afterlife: while one can fear the brutal figure of death himself, they do not have to fear what comes next. The afterlife is man’s next greatest adventure.
What this poem teaches us
Stay curious about everything, even dying. Kids ask questions about everything because they want to understand. We can do that too. Wonder instead of worry.
Read more poems by Mary Oliver.
‘Funeral Blues‘ by W.H. Auden
Central Message: Everything loses meaning and purpose in the wake of death.
Speaker: A mourner.
Although the personification of death is an intriguing and powerful motif throughout poetry – as exemplified by the previous five poems – some poets adopt a different interpretation of death. In this poem, Auden explores the quiet power of death through the effect it has on those it does not take. It merely touches them, leaving them to fathom a world changed by the death of a loved one. While this poem was originally written to be a satirical depiction of grief, the connections numerous readers have formed with it speaks to its profound nature. The speaker wishes for the world to acknowledge “He Is Dead”, referring to the loved one they have lost. The final stanza of this poem is perhaps the most famous, as it relies on adynaton to illustrate the depth of the speaker’s grief.
The stars are not wanted now; put out every one,
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun,
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood;
For nothing now can ever come to any good.
This poem demonstrates death’s power to completely alter the world of the living. While the speaker is not meant for death yet, their entire life has come to an end because of its interference.
What this poem teaches us
Feeling terrible when someone dies shows how much you loved them. The bigger the sadness, the bigger the love was. That’s actually beautiful, even though it hurts.
Explore more poems by W.H. Auden.
‘An Irish Airman Foresees His Death‘ by W.B. Yeats
Central Message: Death renders life inconsequential.
Speaker: An Irish fighter pilot.
While this poem meditates on death from a first-person perspective, it is paired with another poem – ‘In Memory of Major Robert Gregory‘ – which reflects on the same death from a third-person perspective. This is due to the real death that inspired this poem, of Yeats’ friend Robert Gregory, who was killed during the First World War. As the speaker, Gregory contemplates how meaning is removed from the life he has lived and the days ahead of him as he confronts the possibility of certain death.
The years to come seemed waste of breath,
A waste of breath the years behind
In balance with this life, this death.
This poem’s interpretation of death is particularly poignant as it highlights not only its inevitability, but also the certainty that it will erase everything. The pointlessness of the speaker’s life is a consequence of his death – meaningless and unremarkable. Losing his life in the war means nothing: he is only one of many soldiers who will die in the conflict. Through this, Yeats highlights his frustration with the certainty of death in war, demonstrating how the nature of one’s death has the power to overwrite their entire life.
What this poem teaches us
Thinking about death helps you figure out what really matters. Suddenly, you know which things are worth your time and which aren’t. It’s like having better vision.
Discover more poems by W.B. Yeats.
‘Death in Leamington‘ by John Betjeman
Central Message: Death can be quiet, kind, and solitary.
Speaker: A third-person objective speaker.
In this quiet poem, Betjeman highlights the solitary, lonely nature of death for many. The woman who dies in this poem seems to be forgotten: there is no one to mourn her death and no one notices when she leaves this world. However, the kind and calm nature of the nurse shows that there is compassion in death. The woman had evidently been suffering from her ailments and age, but is now released from the pain. Much like Dickinson, Betjeman regards death as a friend.
Beside her the lonely crochet
Lay patiently and unstirred,
But the fingers that would have work’d it
Were dead as the spoken word.
Though death is a kind release, the sombre nature of this woman’s passing is shown in the work she left undone. She passed her days crocheting, waiting for the end to come. The unfinished work becomes a symbol of her life – left before it was complete.
What this poem teaches us
Sometimes dying means the pain stops. For people who are really sick or really tired, death can be rest, like finally getting to sleep after a very long day.
Read more poems by John Betjeman.
‘Farewell‘ by Anne Brontë
Central Message: Though death may separate two people, love remains.
Speaker: A mourner.
Although death may physically separate two people, Brontë highlights that they remain connected. The speaker of this poem bids farewell to the loved one they have lost to death, but holds on to a force much more powerful than what separates them: love. They remain connected through the memories and feelings which remain, showing that death can be superseded by true connection.
Farewell to thee! but not farewell
To all my fondest thoughts of thee:
Within my heart they still shall dwell;
And they shall cheer and comfort me.
The life of the speaker’s loved one is metaphorically retained as they continue to live in the speaker’s heart. The poem concludes with a hopeful view of the future, in which the two may be reunited in Heaven. Brontë shows how the nature of death changes when one holds religious beliefs concerning an afterlife. In this way, death does not mark an end, but merely a pause until two people are united again.
What this poem teaches us
People you love don’t really leave you when they die. They live in your memories, your habits, and the way you laugh. Death changes the relationship but doesn’t end it.
Explore more poems by Anne Brontë.
‘A Psalm of Life‘ by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Central Message: The soul defies death.
Speaker: A didactic guide.
Similarly to the previous poem, Longfellow meditates on the human defiance of death. However, it is not the memory which lives on in this poem, but the soul. This poem regards death as the expiration of the body and nothing more. A person is defined by their soul, which lives on after death.
Life is real! Life is earnest!
And the grave is not its goal;
Dust thou art, to dust returnest,
Was not spoken of the soul.
While Longfellow urges the reader to consider death a physical change, he also encourages them to live before their time is up. This poem provides a poignant reminder that to live on after death, one must make their mark on the world. Longfellow characterises the impact of each person as “footsteps”, a beautiful symbol of remembrance.
What this poem teaches us
Do good things while you’re alive. Help people. Make something better. Then part of you keeps going even after you’re gone. Like planting trees you’ll never sit under.
Discover more poems by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
Explore More Poems About Death
Death is a difficult concept to grasp, which is why poets write about it again and again. While some poems might offer gentle consolations, others show the overwhelming fear death can engender. As death is such a vast and complex theme, you can explore our exhaustive list of poetry featuring the theme of death. This features poets throughout the ages with many different characteristics of death, with filters to help you filter down specific poetry of your choosing.
Notable Mentions For Poems About Death
While this list features some of the most poignant poems about death, there are many others with equal value. Each offers a unique perspective on the difficult topic, allowing readers to connect with new ideas about the fabric of existence itself. Here are some other examples of beautiful poems about death:
- ‘Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night’ by Dylan Thomas – This poem urges readers to fight against death and the darkness it brings. The speaker implores the reader to claw onto every moment of life – death is seen as an ending: one that separates father from son.
- ‘Nothing To Be Said‘ by Philip Larkin – Confronting the steady approach of death, the speaker’s perception of mundane life is transformed by existential dread. Working, socialising, and relaxing are now all “Ways of slowly dying”. Their powerlessness and dread is emphasised by their inability to speak about the slow encroachment of death.
- ‘Do Not Stand At My Grave And Weep’ by Mary Frye – In this gentle poem, Frye highlights the release provided by death. The speaker is not confined within a grave, but has found new life among the beautiful things within the world. This provides a softer view of death, that may aid those struggling with grief.
- ‘On the Death of Anne Brontë‘ by Charlotte Brontë – As Anne Brontë’s ‘Farewell’ was featured in this list, it seems fitting to include her sister’s poem about her death. This sorrowful piece of verse showcases Charlotte’s numbness after the death of her sister. It has changed her view of the world – life is devoid of joy and death no longer holds fear. This shows the power death holds over those it leaves behind.
- ‘My Butterfly’ by Robert Frost – Frost explores the fleeting nature of life and the uncaring nature of death, as a beautiful butterfly is taken before its time. However, death is emphasised as a natural consequence to life.
FAQs
Death is a common poetic theme due to the intrinsic nature of humans, who strive to understand the unfathomable. Through art, one can attempt to understand death, but the varying depictions reinforce its unknowable nature. It stands as a particularly important theme, as many poems about death offer solace to those grieving, providing some degree of consolation.
While many poems about death do focus on grief, there are many which adopt a different perspective. Some will regard death as a friend, offering peace after a lifetime of strife. Others will depict it as the next greatest adventure: waiting to be explored. However, some take a more sinister view borne from grief, characterising death as a cruel force which pries the living from the earth before they are ready.
As death is completely unfathomable, personifying the intangible force allows poets to depict its nature and confront it head-on. Most personifications of death feature it as a “he”. However, it is notable that the personifications of death vary to a great extent, as some poets will depict it as a benevolent guide, while others characterise it as a cruel force, collecting the debts generated by life.
Usually, elegies are used when discussing death, as it allows the speaker to mourn. These poems often commemorate the dead, speculating what lies beyond for those who are lost. As such, these poems will often feature grief alongside death, mourning the loss of a loved one.
