In an article called "How to Get Ready for Death," Rob Ruff says that "Poets have a unique and insightful way of helping us embrace the not-easily embraceable truth that death will come, without fail, for each of us." Some of his favorite poems on the subject are :
The Death Deal by Ron Padget
The Poet struggles against but eventually begins to look forward to his own eventual death.
When Death Comes by Mary Oliver, in which the poet voices her wish to live fully, with amazement, curiosity, and joy before death comes for her "like the hungry bear in autumn ..."
The Last Thing by the Irish poet Monk Gibbons. The Poet reminds us that death is an experience common to all people. Thus we can approach death's door bravely, trusting that "where so much greatness and gentleness have been already, you should be glad to follow."
