Death & Dying

Requiescat

by Matthew Arnold 1822–1888

From Early Poems

Death & Dying

Strew on her roses, roses,
And never a spray of yew!
In quiet she reposes;
Ah, would that I did too!

Her mirth the world required;
She bathed it in smiles of glee.
But her heart was tired, tired,
And now they let her be.

Her life was turning, turning,
In mazes of heat and sound.
But for peace her soul was yearning,
And now peace laps her round.

Her cabin'd, ample spirit,
It flutter'd and fail'd for breath.
To-night it doth inherit
The vasty hall of death.

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Poetical Works of Matthew Arnold (Macmillan, 1891)

MLA

Arnold, Matthew. “Requiescat.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/arnold/14/.

Chicago

Arnold, Matthew. “Requiescat.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/arnold/14/.

Read this poem with the Codex →

More by Matthew Arnold