When I am dead, my dearest

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Poème original

When I am dead, my dearest By Christina Rossetti 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.

Traduction

When I am dead, my dear, Don't sing any sad songs for me; Don't plant roses at my grave, Or a shady cypress tree: Let the green grass grow over me, Wet with rain and dew; And if you want, remember me, And if you want, forget. I won't see the shadows, I won't feel the rain; I won't hear the nightingale Sing as if it's in pain: And dreaming in the twilight That doesn't change, Maybe I'll remember, And maybe I'll forget.

Explication

Christina Rossetti's poem 'When I am dead, my dearest' is a meditation on death and remembrance. The speaker addresses a loved one, expressing a desire for a simple, natural burial without the traditional symbols of mourning like sad songs or flowers. The speaker's acceptance of death is conveyed through the imagery of green grass and dewdrops, suggesting a return to nature. In the second stanza, the speaker reflects on the sensory experiences they will miss in death, such as shadows, rain, and the song of the nightingale. The poem concludes with an acceptance of the uncertainty of memory, acknowledging that the speaker may or may not be remembered. This acceptance of oblivion and the transient nature of memory reflects Rossetti's exploration of mortality, influenced by her religious beliefs and personal experiences with illness.

Dictionnaire des mots

Mot	Sens simple	Traduction	Pron.
dearest	most beloved	most loved or cherished person	dee-uh-rist
thou	you	old-fashioned form of 'you'	thou
wilt	will	old-fashioned form of 'will'	wilt

When I am dead, my dearest — Poème | Poetry Explainer