Funeral blues

2026-05-07

A poem by W.H.Auden (1907-1973)

This poem was read in the film "Four marriages and a funeral"

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I just stumbled upon it and wanted to write it down.

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+Funeral Blues 
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+Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone. 
+Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone, 
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+Silence the pianos and with muffled drum 
+Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come. 
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+Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead 
+Scribbling in the sky the message He is Dead, 
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+Put crêpe bows round the white necks of the public doves,
+Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves. 
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+He was my North, my South, my East and West, 
+My working week and my Sunday rest 
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+My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song; 
+I thought that love would last forever, I was wrong. 
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+The stars are not wanted now; put out every one,
+Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun. 
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+Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood; 
+For nothing now can ever come to any good.
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