Simplify me when I'm Dead
Remember me when I am dead
and simplify me when I'm dead.
As the processes of earth
strip off the colour and the skin
take the brown hair and blue eye
5
and leave me simpler than at birth
when hairless I came howling in
as the moon came in the cold sky.
Of my skeleton perhaps
so stripped, a learned man will say
10
'He was of such a type and intelligence,' no more.
Thus when in a year collapse
particular memories, you may
deduce, from the long pain I bore
the opinions I held, who was my foe
and what I left, even my appearance
but incidents will be no guide.
Time's wrong-way telescope will show
a minute man ten years hence
and by distance simplified.
15
20
Through that lens see if I seem
substance or nothing: of the world
deserving mention or charitable oblivion
not by momentary spleen
or love into decision hurled
leisurely arrive at an opinion.
Remember me when I am dead
and simplify me when I'm dead.
? 1941 /1951
25
Ardiana Ivezaj
Poem Analysis
Johnsen
Eng 362
3/1/11
“Simplify me when I’m dead” – Keith Douglas
“Simplify me when I’m dead” was written during World War II. Even though the
actual date of composition is unknown, it was recorded to have been written within the
years of 1941-1944 This poem has a strong emphasis on one’s death. This is in
correlation with the author, Keith Douglas, who was a soldier stationed in the Middle
East during WWII; he died in the Normandy Invasion. War is a very uncertain thing for a
soldier, as they do not know if death is near, and if it is how they will be acknowledged
after passing. The core of this poem is the idea that the only thing that can be done for the
dead is to remember their existence in a modest fashion. The title of the poem, “Simplify
me when I’m dead,” embodies the author’s notion of the simplicity of life, how easily
one enters and vanishes while the only thing to be done is to remember the deceased.
Nonetheless, this remembrance should be done in the simplest manner since opinions of
one’s life can be altered my outside forces.
The poem acts as a speech from the soldier, the title adding to this notion. The
sole importance that the author wanted to get across is to acknowledge his life by
remembering him when he died; however, keeping the story of his life in simplest terms.
This idea is explicitly stated within the poem multiple times, putting a strong emphasis on
this central theme. The first two lines of the poem express the desire to be remembered;
however, these memories should be simplified; “Remember me when I am dead and
simplify me when I’m dead” (lines 1-2). This is the entire theme of the poem, to be
remembered in a modest fashion. Nonetheless, the author acknowledges that there is
importance in life, enough at least to be remembered by. These two lines are used to
begin the poem, and are also used to end it as well. Lines 1 and 2 act as a request; he first
asks to be remembered in a simple manner, then later he explains why he wishes for this
and ends with the same request. The author has a humble approach and viewpoint
towards life, which is evident throughout the poem.
The subsequent stanzas specifically speak of the simplification of disappearance.
In creative, artistic speech, the author speaks of the process of decomposition, “As the
processes of earth/ strip off the colour and the skin/ take the brown hair and blue eye”
(lines 3-5). The word “process” pertains to birth and death, that life is nothing more than
a linear progression. This linear progression refers to the years before dying. This strong
emphasis on death may be seen as depressing and haunting; however, one must
remember that the author of this poem is a soldier faced with death daily. After Douglas
speaks of death he mentions birth as a louder life process. When one enters this world
they desire a purpose, to become of an importance and they yearn for attention. Even
though a human is so innocent and fresh when they enter this world they come with
howls, “…when hairless I came howling in as the moon came in the cold sky” (7-8). This
quote expresses the simplicity of entering life, hairless and fresh, yet loud and with
purpose. Douglas reveals a strong difference between birth and death. The author stresses
that when entering this earth he craved for attention but when he dies all he asks for is to
be in peoples’ memory in the simplest manner. Douglas agrees and understands that with
the natural process of deteriorating, that all his physical aspects will simply disappear.
The only thing left after this disappearance is remembrance. The poem continues,
explaining why the author asks this favor of people he knew.
When one dies they are decomposed, or “stripped” back to the simple and bare
form of the human body existence, a skeleton. All there is to be done thereon is to be
remembered by the people left behind. Line 10 supposes what people will say when death
occurs, “a learned man will say…” (line 10). The adjective, learned, acts as the indicator
that the only people to remember the dead are the ones who have learned, first hand or
through others, of the dead. This learning process can be done through personal
interaction with the person when they were alive or through stories passed on. The dead
remains in the livings’ memories; however, eventually they will not have much to say
because these memories must be passed on to continue to live and therefore will naturally
fade. This idea is expressed in the poem’s only usage of a quote, followed by a coma,
“'He was of such a type and intelligence,' no more” (line 11). The quote mimics a
memory of a person and shows how simple it is, there is little emotion or specific detail.
As the years pass and time goes by the memories and remembrance will eventually fade,
there will be “no more” to be said.
The seventh stanza refers to time. Time is very important to stress upon because
life on earth is completely measured through time. However, because of the strict
restrictions time holds life can easily be perceived in different, or wrong, ways. The poem
speaks of this concept by referring to time as a “wrong-way telescope”, then says it “will
show” (line 18). Time is given a large amount of responsibility for the way one perceives
the past, present and future. The poem claims that the lens through which time is seen
will alter the way we view things and ultimately adjust our mindset and opinions (lines
18-23). Therefore, the poem stresses, and repeatedly requests to be remembered in a very
simple manner. The telescope makes one’s perception much more narrow, only allowing
us to know and believe what we choose and want to know. The author then questions if
his life will be important to the people making the judgments, “Through that lens see if I
seem substance or nothing” (line 21). Douglas gives liability to the lens. The author
knows that with alterations and external factors, such as specific lens or the effects of
time, the perceptions and opinions made by the living will have great variations.
Eventually the living will arrive at their own judgments in an easy, unstressed manner
(line 25-26). This leaves the author unsteady because he does not know the result or
ending viewpoint of his life. This idea led him to his request, for his story to be
simplified.
One cannot ask for anything more than remembrance of their life. Meanwhile,
perceptions and knowledge of one’s life vary with each person; therefore keeping
recognition simple is crucial. When we leave this earth we do not know what will be said
or mentioned of us. Each persons’ opinions will vary therefore the poem again concludes
with the quote of ‘remembering one but simplifying them’ when they die. The author
knew his time was near and had no way to defend himself or persuade people to
remember his life a certain way, ultimately just asking them to keep his remembrance
simple.