Requiem by Robert Louis Stevenson

Editor's note

The speaker begins with a straightforward, even cheerful request: bury me out in the open, beneath the stars. The word "wide" suggests a sky that feels generous instead of cold, while "starry" adds a touch of beauty. There’s no sense of dread — the grave is simply the next resting place, as natural as sleep.

Editor's note

This is the emotional heart of the poem. The speaker's use of "glad" again and again is intentional — he isn't just accepting his fate; he's truly content. When he says "laid me down with a will," it shows he embraced this rest; dying is a choice, not a surrender. The use of simple past tense gives it the weight of a fact rather than a mere desire.

Editor's note

The speaker now speaks directly to the living, crafting his own epitaph. "Grave" is employed as a verb — to engrave — creating a subtle pun on the term for burial. The transition to third person ("he lies") reflects the wording typically found on tombstones, lending the poem a straightforward, documentary feel.

Editor's note

The closing couplet features two classic figures — the sailor and the hunter — representing anyone who has toiled and journeyed widely. Coming home symbolizes death: it’s not just an ending, but a return. The sea and the hill reflect the natural imagery from the first stanza, bringing the entire poem full circle.