I shall go the way I came



When the curtain rolls down,
On this fleeting life of mine,
And all that I am,
Is a memory passing by...
What will people think of me,
And what will be my legacy?

Will I see a pearly gate,
Or a boat rocked in the gale?
Will my empty heart be weighed,
Against a feather on a scale?
What will then the verdict the be;
What will then become of me?

Put no medals on my chest,
Just tell my folks I did my best.
For I shall go the way I came:
Bearing nothing but my name.

Save your tears for those still alive,
Spare the eulogies for those yet to die.
For I shall go the way I came:
Bearing nothing but my name.

About this poem

Sometimes I wake up at midnight, and I am overwhelmed by my inevitable mortality. What lies beyond? I concluded that no matter what lies after death, our accomplishments meaning nothing in the end.

Font size:
Collection  PDF     
 

Written on November 03, 2022

Submitted by JD.Mags on November 03, 2022

Modified on March 05, 2023

44 sec read
62

Quick analysis:

Scheme xxxabb xcxcbb ddEE xaEE
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 608
Words 148
Stanzas 4
Stanza Lengths 6, 6, 4, 4

J.D. Mags

I spent seven years as a photojournalist. I spend much of my time writing poems, listening to music and thinking about life. I have traveled to numerous countries around the world and realized that people everywhere are the same. more…

All J.D. Mags poems | J.D. Mags Books

2 fans

Discuss the poem I shall go the way I came with the community...

1 Comment
  • ZackTheSnack
    I chose this poem because I often worry about my legacy. We put so much emphasis on who we are and what we do, yet in the end we will all die only bearing our name.
    LikeReply1 year ago

Translation

Find a translation for this poem in other languages:

Select another language:

  • - Select -
  • 简体中文 (Chinese - Simplified)
  • 繁體中文 (Chinese - Traditional)
  • Español (Spanish)
  • Esperanto (Esperanto)
  • 日本語 (Japanese)
  • Português (Portuguese)
  • Deutsch (German)
  • العربية (Arabic)
  • Français (French)
  • Русский (Russian)
  • ಕನ್ನಡ (Kannada)
  • 한국어 (Korean)
  • עברית (Hebrew)
  • Gaeilge (Irish)
  • Українська (Ukrainian)
  • اردو (Urdu)
  • Magyar (Hungarian)
  • मानक हिन्दी (Hindi)
  • Indonesia (Indonesian)
  • Italiano (Italian)
  • தமிழ் (Tamil)
  • Türkçe (Turkish)
  • తెలుగు (Telugu)
  • ภาษาไทย (Thai)
  • Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
  • Čeština (Czech)
  • Polski (Polish)
  • Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian)
  • Românește (Romanian)
  • Nederlands (Dutch)
  • Ελληνικά (Greek)
  • Latinum (Latin)
  • Svenska (Swedish)
  • Dansk (Danish)
  • Suomi (Finnish)
  • فارسی (Persian)
  • ייִדיש (Yiddish)
  • հայերեն (Armenian)
  • Norsk (Norwegian)
  • English (English)

Citation

Use the citation below to add this poem to your bibliography:

Style:MLAChicagoAPA

"I shall go the way I came" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 18 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/145759/i-shall-go-the-way-i-came>.

Become a member!

Join our community of poets and poetry lovers to share your work and offer feedback and encouragement to writers all over the world!

April 2024

Poetry Contest

Join our monthly contest for an opportunity to win cash prizes and attain global acclaim for your talent.
12
days
1
hour
8
minutes

Special Program

Earn Rewards!

Unlock exciting rewards such as a free mug and free contest pass by commenting on fellow members' poems today!

Browse Poetry.com

Quiz

Are you a poetry master?

»
"I celebrate myself, and sing myself."
A Walt Whitman
B Countee Cullen
C Billy Collins
D William Wordsworth