From the Grave
The poem tells the story of a woman who has died and is speaking from beyond the grave. She recounts her life, describing how she was once beautiful and full of life, but was betrayed by her lover who left her for another woman. The speaker describes how she died of a broken heart and how her spirit remains on earth, seeking revenge against her former lover.
By Ella Wheeler Wilcox · First published 1893 · Genre: Poetry, Romance, Gothic · 438 words
First lines
When the first sere leaves of the year were falling, I heard, with a heart that was strangely thrilled, Out of the grave of a dead Past calling, A voice I fancied forever stilled.
All through winter and spring and summer, Silence hung over that grave like a pall, But, borne on the breath of the last sad comer, I listen again to the old-time call.
What this Textopian page supports
From the Grave is listed on Textopian as a poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox, dated 1893 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Date: 1893 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Romance, Gothic, Philosophical, Psychological
- Length: 438 words
- Structure: 1 section, 9 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Very Easy (5th Grade or below)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for From the Grave by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
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- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
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Similar titles
- The Ghost by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Spectres by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Desolation by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- A Dirge by Edith Nesbit
- Sleeps Treachery by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Ghosts by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
Genres
- Poetry — The text is structured in verse and employs poetic devices such as rhyme and meter.
- Romance — The central theme revolves around love and its enduring nature.
- Gothic — The imagery of graves and the past calling back evokes a dark, gothic atmosphere.
- Philosophical — The work explores deep themes about the nature of love and its persistence beyond death.
Tags
Poetry · American Literature · 19th Century · Romanticism · Death · Grief · Loss · Mourning · Spirituality · Afterlife · Supernatural · Ghostly Encounters