Poetry

Here are some poems that I believe speak movingly about death and life. For copyright reasons I don't list the actual poems, but they can be found in various anthologies and on the web.

Still I Rise by Maya Angelou
—An inspiring poem about rising above adversity by one of our greatest contemporary poets.

Never Grow a Wishbone, Daughter….by Sarah McMane
—A moving poem about raising a daughter in a world that is sometimes hard.

The Summer Day, Poppies, and When Death Comes by Mary Oliver
—Mary Oliver writes movingly about death and life.

The Teaching of Tecumseh by Chief Tecumseh
—A powerful poem about death, inclusivity, and life.

Please Call Me By My True Names by Thich Nhat Hanh
—This leading peace activist wrote this poem after he learned about the death of a 12-year-old girl under horrible circumstances. It is also a subtle explication of Zen ethics and the idea of no-self.

Funeral Blues by W. H. Auden
—To me, this poem evokes the rawness and sadness of grief.

Tears are the Proof of Life by Rabbi Robert I. Kahn 
—I believe this is a compassionate and accurate depiction of the grieving process.

Waves by John Snyder
—John was a noted Montessorian, poet, and Zen teacher in the lineage of Thich Nhat Hanh. He was also my friend. His poem Waves was written as he was living fully with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Waves is from his poetry collection Infinity Minus One. It is one of the best explications, in any genre, of the Buddhist idea of no-self and mindfulness as they intersect with death and life.

Kindness by Naomi Shihab Nye
—A powerful, moving meditation on how suffering helps us grow. One of my favorite poems.

To Come Home to Yourself
—This brief poem by John O'Donohue acknowledges the pain that people can feel and is simultaneously very hopeful.