[Duchess]

Remember Me When I'm Gone

Remember me when I am gone away,
Gone far away into the silent land;
When you can no more hold me by the hand
Nor I half turn to go yet turning stay
Remember me when no more day by day
You tell me of our future that you planned
Only remember me;

You understand it will be late to counsel then or pray
Yet if you should forget me for a while and afterwards remember,
Do not grieve
For if the darkness and corruption
Leave a vestige of the thoughts that once I had,
Better by far you should forget and smile
Than that you should remember and be sad.

by Christina Rossetti