DEATH is stronger than all the governments because the governments are men and men die and then death laughs: Now you see ’em, now you don’t.
  
Death is stronger than all proud men and so death snips proud men on the nose, throws a pair... (Read full poem)

2. Father Death Blues (Don't Grow Old, Part V) - written by Allen Ginsberg
Published in 1976. Read 8157 times on American Poems.

Hey Father Death, I'm flying home
Hey poor man, you're all alone
Hey old daddy, I know where I'm going

Father Death, Don't cry any more
Mama's there, underneath the floor
Brother Death, please mind the store

Old Aunty Death  Don't hide your... (Read full poem)

dying is fine)but Death

?o
baby
i

wouldn't like

Death if Death
were
good:for

when(instead of stopping to think)you

begin to feel of it,dying
's miraculous
why?be

cause dying is

perfectly natural;perfectly
putting
it mildly... (Read full poem)

4. Death is a Dialogue between - written by Emily Dickinson
From Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson. Published in 1955. Read 5656 times on American Poems.

Death is a Dialogue between
The Spirit and the Dust.
"Dissolve" says Death -- The Spirit "Sir
I have another Trust" --

Death doubts it -- Argues from the Ground --
The Spirit turns away
Just laying off for evidence
An Overcoat of Clay.(Read full poem)

Suspense -- is Hostiler than Death --
Death -- tho'soever Broad,
Is Just Death, and cannot increase --
Suspense -- does not conclude --

But perishes -- to live anew --
But just anew to die --
Annihilation -- plated fresh
With Immortality --(Read full poem)

6. All but Death, can be Adjusted -- - written by Emily Dickinson
From Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson. Published in 1955. Read 3589 times on American Poems.

All but Death, can be Adjusted --
Dynasties repaired --
Systems -- settled in their Sockets --
Citadels -- dissolved --

Wastes of Lives -- resown with Colors
By Succeeding Springs --
Death -- unto itself -- Exception --
Is exempt from Change --(Read full poem)

For Death -- or rather
For the Things 'twould buy --
This -- put away
Life's Opportunity --

The Things that Death will buy
Are Room --
Escape from Circumstances --
And a Name --

With Gifts of Life
How Death's Gifts may compare --
We know not... (Read full poem)

8. A Challenge To The Dark - written by Charles Bukowski
Read 4547 times on American Poems.

shot in the eye 
shot in the brain 
shot in the ass 
shot like a flower in the dance 

amazing how death wins hands down 
amazing how much credence is given to idiot forms of life 

amazing how laughter has been drowned out 
amazing how viciousness... (Read full poem)

Said Death to Passion
"Give of thine an Acre unto me."
Said Passion, through contracting Breaths
"A Thousand Times Thee Nay."

Bore Death from Passion
All His East
He -- sovereign as the Sun
Resituated in the West
And the Debate was done.(Read full poem)

10. Love -- is that later Thing than Death -- - written by Emily Dickinson
From Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson. Published in 1955. Read 3106 times on American Poems.

Love -- is that later Thing than Death --
More previous -- than Life --
Confirms it at its entrance -- And
Usurps it -- of itself --

Tastes Death -- the first -- to hand the sting
The Second -- to its friend --
Disarms the little interval... (Read full poem)

Bereavement in their death to feel
Whom We have never seen --
A Vital Kinsmanship import
Our Soul and theirs -- between --

For Stranger -- Strangers do not mourn --
There be Immortal friends
Whom Death see first -- 'tis news of this
That paralyze... (Read full poem)

12. So give me back to Death -- - written by Emily Dickinson
From Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson. Published in 1955. Read 3170 times on American Poems.

So give me back to Death --
The Death I never feared
Except that it deprived of thee --
And now, by Life deprived,
In my own Grave I breathe
And estimate its size --
Its size is all that Hell can guess --
And all that Heaven was --(Read full poem)

After your death,
Naomi, your hair will escape to become
a round animal, nameless.(Read full poem)

14. Sylvia's Death - written by Anne Sexton
Published in 1963. Read 13302 times on American Poems.

for Sylvia Plath
O Sylvia, Sylvia, 
with a dead box of stones and spoons, 
with two children, two meteors 
wandering loose in a tiny playroom, 
with your mouth into the sheet, 
into the roofbeam, into the dumb prayer, 
(Sylvia, Sylvia 
where did you... (Read full poem)

He fought like those Who've nought to lose --
Bestowed Himself to Balls
As One who for a further Life
Had not a further Use --

Invited Death -- with bold attempt --
But Death was Coy of Him
As Other Men, were Coy of Death --
To Him -- to live --... (Read full poem)

16. The Smile on the Face of a Kouros - written by William Bronk
From Life Supports: New and Collected Poems. Read 857 times on American Poems.

This boy, of course, was dead, whatever that
might mean. And nobly dead. I think we should feel 
he was nobly dead. He fell in battle, perhaps, 
and this carved stone remembers him 
not as he may have looked, but as if to define
the naked... (Read full poem)

How much death works,
No one knows what a long
Day he puts in. The little
Wife always alone
Ironing death's laundry.
The beautiful daughters
Setting death's supper table.
The neighbors playing
Pinochle in the backyard
Or just sitting on the... (Read full poem)

18. I Have A Rendezvous With Death - written by Alan Seeger
Read 4301 times on American Poems.

I have a rendezvous with Death
At some disputed barricade,
When Spring comes back with rustling shade
And apple-blossoms fill the air— 
I have a rendezvous with Death
When Spring brings back blue days and fair.

It may be he shall take my... (Read full poem)

I have a rendezvous with Death
At some disputed barricade,
I have a rendezvous with Death
At some disputed barricade,
When Spring comes back with rustling shade
And apple-blossoms fill the air--
I have a rendezvous with Death
When Spring... (Read full poem)

20. Robbed by Death -- but that was easy -- - written by Emily Dickinson
From Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson. Published in 1955. Read 2753 times on American Poems.

Robbed by Death -- but that was easy --
To the failing Eye
I could hold the latest Glowing --
Robbed by Liberty

For Her Jugular Defences --
This, too, I endured --
Hint of Glory -- it afforded --
For the Brave Beloved --

Fraud of Distance -- Fraud... (Read full poem)

How far is it to Heaven?
As far as Death this way --
Of River or of Ridge beyond
Was no discovery.

How far is it to Hell?
As far as Death this way --
How far left hand the Sepulchre
Defies Topography.(Read full poem)

22. That this should feel the need of Death - written by Emily Dickinson
From Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson. Published in 1955. Read 2672 times on American Poems.

That this should feel the need of Death
The same as those that lived
Is such a Feat of Irony
As never was -- achieved --

Not satisfied to ape the Great
In his simplicity
The small must die, as well as He --
Oh the Audacity --(Read full poem)

The first We knew of Him was Death --
The second -- was -- Renown --
Except the first had justified
The second had not been.(Read full poem)

24. Dream Song 41: If we sang in the wood (and Death is a German expert) - written by John Berryman
From 77 Dream Songs. Published in 1964. Read 692 times on American Poems.

If we sang in the wood (and Death is a German expert)
while snows flies, chill, after so frequent knew
so many all nothing,
for lead & fire, it's not we would assert
particulars, but animal; cats mew,
horses scream, man sing.

Or: men pslam.... (Read full poem)

1
IN former songs Pride have I sung, and Love, and passionate, joyful Life, 
But here I twine the strands of Patriotism and Death. 
  
And now, Life, Pride, Love, Patriotism and Death, 
To you, O FREEDOM, purport of all! 
(You that elude me... (Read full poem)