Come away, come away, Death, And in sad cypress let me be…
“Come away, come away, Death, And in sad cypress let me be laid; Fly away, fly away, breath, I am slain by a fair cruel maid. My shroud of white stuck all with yew, O prepare it! My part of death no one so true did share it. Not a flower, not a flower sweet, On my black coffin let there be strewn: Not a friend, not a friend greet My poor corpse, where my bones shall be thrown. A thousand thousand sighs to save, lay me O where Sad true lover never find my grave, to weep there!”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The speaker laments death, yearning for a grave that reflects his love and sorrow, using vivid imagery of flowers and coffins.
In simple terms: A mournful plea for a fitting death.
Key Takeaway
Embrace the depth of grief.
Themes
death
love
grief
Mood
melancholic
poetic
Type
lament
soliloquy
When to use this quote
- funeral rites
- poetic expression
- romantic tragedy
Key Concepts
Elizabethan poetry
metaphor
lamentation
Questions to Reflect On
- What does the speaker truly desire?
- How does nature imagery shape the lament?
A Different Perspective
The imagery may overwhelm the core emotion.