 > Funeral Poems > The Last Invocation

The Last Invocation

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.

The Last Invocation Poem Verses

At the last, tenderly,
From the walls of the powerful fortress‘d house,
From the clasp of the knitted locks, from the keep of the well-closed doors,
Let me be wafted.
Let me glide noiselessly forth;
With the key of softness unlock the locks – with a whisper,
Set ope the doors O soul.
Tenderly – be not impatient,
(Strong is your hold O mortal flesh,
Strong is your hold O love.)

Audio Recording

Please note the audio recording may not exactly match the text version as 'The Last Invocation' can be tailored/personalised

Download Poem

Please note the audio recording may not exactly match the text version as 'The Last Invocation' 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 poem is about the speaker's desire to leave this world in a gentle, peaceful manner. The "powerful fortress'd house" and "knitted locks" refer to the body and the physical world, which the speaker wishes to leave behind. The speaker wants to be released from the grip of mortality and to be allowed to slip away quietly and gently, without any disturbance. The poem emphasizes the idea of tenderness and gentleness as the way to make the transition from life to death. The final lines, "Strong is your hold O mortal flesh, / Strong is your hold O love," suggest that although the physical body and the ties of love may hold us tightly, eventually we will be released and able to move on to the next phase of our existence.

The Structure of Poem

The poem consists of a single stanza with a free verse structure. It focuses on the theme of death and the speaker's desire to be released from their body at the end of their life. The language used is gentle and tender, reflecting the softness and peacefulness the speaker desires in their final moments. The poem encourages a sense of acceptance and letting go, as the soul is released from the physical body. The poem is written in a conversational tone, with the use of enjambment creating a flowing and smooth rhythm.

Best Quote from The Last Invocation Poem

This is a quote from the poem The Last Invocation by Walt Whitman

"At the last, tenderly, From the walls of the powerful fortress‘d house, From the clasp of the knitted locks, from the keep of the well-closed doors, Let me be wafted."

This quote from Walt Whitman's poem "This Compost" is a beautiful and poignant description of the end of life. It speaks to the idea of being released from the constraints of the physical body and the material world, and being carried away gently and tenderly into the unknown. The imagery of being wafted away from the "powerful fortress'd house" and the "knitted locks" and "well-closed doors" evokes a sense of freedom and release.