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To Be Spoken at My Funeral

O, do not weep for me my friends,
For I'm the one who's dead, not you.
If anyone should cry, it's me;
But as you see, my eyes are dry.

Don't say, "He was too young to die."
That's if, of course, I did die young.
And please don't say, "He died too old."
I hope I've not been that despised.
Just say, instead, "He died" -- that's all,
And leave the thing to rest at that.

Don't say, "He lived a saintly life."
I'm not a legend in my time.
And please don't say, "Thank God he's dead."
I hope I've not been that despised.
Just say, instead, "He lived" -- that's all,
And leave the thing to rest at that.

Now, leave me here. Go live your lives;
And save the pious speech for someone else.