Death by Edith Nesbit (1914)
The poem is a lament for the death of a child, mourning the loss of innocence and the pain of the mother who bore her. The speaker describes the child's peaceful sleep, untouched by the pain of life, and the mother's grief in holding her close even in death. The poem expresses the longing for a glorious afterlife where the child will be reunited with her mother, but meanwhile, the harsh reality of death and burial is acknowledged.
By Edith Nesbit · First published 1914 · Genre: Horror, Gothic Fiction, Mystery · 300 words
First lines
NEVER again: No child shall stir the inmost heart of her And teach her heaven by that first faint stir; No little lips shall lie against her breast Save the cold lips that now lie there at rest; No little voice shall rouse her from her sleep And bid her wake to pain: Her sleep is calm and deep, Call not! refrain.
Close in her arm As though even death drew back before the face Of Motherhood in this white stilly place, The gathered bud lies waxen white and cold, As ever a flower your winter gardens hold.
She bore the pain, she never wore the crown, She worked the bitter charm, But all she won thereby is here laid down Renounced -- for good or harm.
What this Textopian page supports
Death is listed on Textopian as a short story by Edith Nesbit, dated 1914 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Edith Nesbit
- Date: 1914 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Horror, Gothic Fiction, Mystery, Psychological Fiction
- Length: 300 words
- Structure: 1 section, 5 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Death by Edith Nesbit
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering Death?
- How does this short story by Edith Nesbit fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Horror first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- After Death by Edith Nesbit
- A Dirge In Gray by Edith Nesbit
- Fear by Edith Nesbit
- Alice Book Xi by Edward Bulwer Lytton
- In The Court Of The Dragon by Robert W. Chambers
- Darkness by Irvin S. Cobb
Genres
- Horror — The narrative revolves around the concept of death, creating a chilling and eerie atmosphere.
- Gothic Fiction — The story incorporates elements of fear, death, and the supernatural, typical of Gothic fiction.
- Mystery — The plot involves the unraveling of unknown aspects related to death, aligning it with the mystery genre.
- Psychological Fiction — The narrative delves into the psychological aspects of dealing with death, making it relevant to this genre.
Tags
Death · Mortality · Afterlife · Fantasy · Short Story · Philosophical · Psychological · Spiritual · Supernatural · Fiction · Literary · Classic