When I Die by Mewlana Jalaluddin Rumi
‘When I Die’ is an incredible Rumi poem about eternal life after death. The poet proposes not to grieve his death as it’s just a means to a new beginning, not an end.
The Butterfly by Alice Freeman Palmer
‘The Butterfly’ by Alice Freeman Palmer is one of the best poems concerning the beauty of a butterfly. This poem is a poetic longing for being like a butterfly, beautiful, and heavenly.
Sunday Morning by Wallace Stevens
‘Sunday Morning’ by Wallace Stevens discusses the existence of an afterlife and the role God and nature play in the creation of paradise.
Lucifer in Starlight by George Meredith
‘Lucifer in Starlight’ describes Lucifer’s power, past, attempted ascent from Hell back into Heaven, and the sights seen along the way.
Hymn to God, My God, in My Sickness by John Donne
‘Hymn to God, My God, in My Sickness’ by John Donne is written from the perspective of a dying man hoping to gain access to heaven.
The Sign-Post by Edward Thomas
‘The Sign-Post’ by Edward Thomas contains a discussion within a speaker’s mind about the progression of time and the nature of Heaven.
To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time by Robert Herrick
‘To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time’ describes a speaker’s beliefs about impact of time on a woman’s life and the value of beauty.
Prologue of the Earthly Paradise by William Morris
‘Prologue of the Earthly Paradise’ speaks of a poet’s intention to create a paradise on earth in which one can escape their troubles.
Rose-Cheeked Laura by Thomas Campion
‘Rose-Cheeked Laura’ by Thomas Campion describes a speaker’s idealized image of what love should be and how one woman personifies that love.
Apostate by Léonie Adams
Apostate’ by Léonie Adams describes the freedom a speaker sees in the joyful stars and how she aches to live as they do.
Mad Song by William Blake
‘Mad Song’ by William Blake describes the intense madness a speaker feels and the frantic pain that accompanies the dawning of a new day.
Shall earth no more inspire thee by Emily Brontë
‘Shall earth no more inspire thee’ is made up of one person’s impassioned plea to another to leave behind emotional darkness and return to past peace.
October, 1803 by William Wordsworth
‘October, 1803’ by William Wordsworth describes England’s fear over an expected French invasion and how the speaker sees the world being transformed.
No Coward Soul Is Mine by Emily Brontë
‘No Coward Soul Is Mine’ by Emily Brontë describes a speaker’s overwhelming passion for God and the strength she is able to draw from her faith.
Consumption by William Cullen Bryant
‘Consumption’ by William Cullen Bryant describes the fast-approaching death of a tuberculosis patient and her path to heaven.
De Profundis by Christina Rossetti
‘De Profundis’ by Christina Rossetti describes a speaker’s longing for heaven, and the impossibility of reaching it during one’s lifetime.
The Blessed Damozel by Dante Gabriel Rossetti
‘The Blessed Damozel’ by Dante Gabriel Rossetti is a ballad that is dedicated to the love between a woman trapped in heaven and a man stuck on Earth.
The Ocean by Nathaniel Hawthorne
‘The Ocean’ by Nathaniel Hawthorne is a short sanguine poem about the peace that lost sailors find, after death, in the depths of the ocean.
Holy Thursday by William Blake
William Blake’s poem, ‘Holy Thursday,’ was first published in 1789. It was included in a poetry collection called ‘Songs of Innocence’.
The Sorrow of True Love By Edward Thomas
‘The Sorrow of True Love’ by Edward Thomas is a one-stanza work with a rhyme scheme that pairs successional lines and is one that uses fanciful language.
My Life Closed Twice Before Its Close by Emily Dickinson
‘My life closed twice before its close’ by Emily Dickinson uses heartbreak as a metaphor for death. She also experiments with the meaning of “closure.”