Christina Georgina Rosetti

This poem was referenced on page 273 in the book A Secret Kept by Tatiana de Rosnay.

The main character Antoine, met a British woman on a train who was going to read this poem at her friend's funeral in France.  The train was stopped for a few hours because a woman had just committed suicide by kneeling on the track.  Doesn't that all sound delightful.

I had never heard of the poet or the poem so of course I had to research it.  I'm not even sure why I posted it here.

As far as the book, I had read Sarah's Key by the same author and loved it and couldn't wait to read this one but I was so disappointed.  It just dragged on and on.  It was about as interesting as my memoir is going to be.


When I am Dead, My Dearest by Christina Georgina Rossetti
(1830-1894)

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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.