George Eliot's poem "May I Join the Choir Invisible?" is a reflection on mortality and the afterlife. The poem begins with the speaker asking if they may join the "choir invisible" of those who have passed away. The speaker reflects on the beauty of life and the joy of living, but also acknowledges the inevitability of death. They express a desire to join the choir of those who have gone before them, and to be reunited with their loved ones in the afterlife. The poem ends with the speaker expressing a hope that they will be welcomed into the choir invisible, and that they will be able to join in the song of the angels.
By George Eliot · First published 1884 · Genre: Realistic Fiction, Romance, Historical Fiction