/> 1847 -1918
Death is nothing at all,
I have only slipped away
into the next room.
I am I,
and you are you;
whatever we were to each other,
that, we still are.
Call me by my old familiar name,
speak to me in the easy way
which you always used,
put no difference in your tone,
wear no forced air
of solemnity or sorrow.
Laugh as we always laughed
at the little jokes we shared together.
Let my name ever be
the household word that it always was.
Let it be spoken without effect,
without the trace of a shadow on it.
Life means all
that it ever meant.
It is the same as it ever was.
There is unbroken continuity.
Why should I be out of mind
because I am out of sight?
I am waiting for you,
for an interval,
somewhere very near,
just around the corner.
All is well.
What effect does this have?: Let’s be clear here – This is an immensely damaging poem as it gives false comfort and hope to family members and friends IF the deceased was not a Christian. The vicar leading the service also added ‘I didn’t know him but I know he is now at rest.’ False assurance given from a pulpit like this is so sad as it comes from someone who people view as having authority from the church.
In these circumstances everyone at the ceremony, or anyone who reads this in a card is given false hope with no evidence to base it on. In addition death is belittled and played down.
Religion
This is a huge subject to tackle in just a few words.
There are of course a huge variety of religions in the