 > Funeral Poems > Farewell, Sweet Dust

Farewell, Sweet Dust

Author: Elinor Wylie

This Page Includes: Full Verses of the Poem in Text. A Recording of the Poem (Audio). A Free PDF Download for reading purposes. Free Editable Google Doc Download if you wish to make changes or to personalise the poem. The page also includes what the poem is about, structure of poem and explaining the best parts.

Farewell, Sweet Dust Poem Verses

Now I have lost you, I must scatter
All of you on the air henceforth;
Not that to me it can ever matter
But it‘s only fair to the rest of the earth.
Now especially, when it is winter
And the sun‘s not half as bright as it was,
Who wouldn‘t be glad to find a splinter
That once was you, in the frozen grass?
Snowflakes, too, will be softer feathered,
Clouds, perhaps, will be whiter plumed;
Rain, whose brilliance you caught and gathered,
Purer silver have resumed.
Farewell, sweet dust; I never was a miser:
Once, for a minute, I made you mine:
Now you are gone, I am none the wiser
But the leaves of the willow are as bright as wine.

Download Poem

Please note the audio recording may not exactly match the text version as 'Farewell, Sweet Dust' can be tailored/personalised

Donwload As PDF

Personalised Poem

Would you like to customise this poem? You have the option to personalise it by accessing the provided link, which will direct you to Google Docs. From there, you can download the poem ‘Memories’ to your personal Google Docs account or Microsoft Word where you will be able to edit the poem however you want.

Personalised Poem

About the poem

The speaker of the poem has lost someone and is now scattering their ashes or remains. The speaker sees it as fair to return the person's elements back to the earth. The speaker finds beauty in the idea of the person's remains becoming a part of nature, even in the frozen winter. The speaker says farewell to the person's dust but finds solace in the brightness of the willow leaves.

The Structure of Poem

The poem consists of a single stanza composed of ten lines. The poem features a melancholic tone, and it expresses the speaker's sadness over the loss of a loved one. The speaker reflects on scattering the remains of the loved one into the air and how those remains will be dispersed throughout the earth. The poem makes references to the winter season, snowflakes, and rain, which may suggest a sense of loss and renewal. The poem has a simple and direct structure, with each line conveying a clear image or sentiment.

Best Quote from Farewell, Sweet Dust Poem

This is a quote from the poem Farewell, Sweet Dust by Elinor Wylie

"Farewell, sweet dust; I never was a miser: Once, for a minute, I made you mine: Now you are gone, I am none the wiser But the leaves of the willow are as bright as wine."

This quote is the concluding stanza of the poem and conveys the idea that the speaker has lost a loved one and must now let go of their remains. It suggests that the departed one has become a part of the natural world and their essence will be scattered in the air and absorbed by nature. The quote can be interpreted as a message of acceptance and letting go, as the speaker acknowledges that they never truly possessed the departed one, and their essence now belongs to the earth. It can offer comfort to anyone who has lost a loved one and is struggling to come to terms with their loss.