"That Elizabeth-Jane Farfrae be not told of my death, or made to grieve on account of me. "& that I be not bury'd in consecrated ground. "& that no sexton be asked to toll the bell. "& that nobody is wished to see my dead body. "& that no mourners walk behind me at my funeral. "& that no flowers be planted on my grave, "& that no man remember me. "To this I put my name.

All I desire for my own burial is not to be buried alive.

The cries of the dead are terrible indeed; you should try not to hear them.

But you have a problem: Because I’m dead, you can’t arrest me. More importantly: You can’t stop me.

Main point: don’t be afraid of what other people think. If someone won’t speak at your funeral, you shouldn’t care about their opinion while you’re alive. Honor the few who believe in you by having courage.

A funeral is no place for secrets.

Always go to other people's funerals, otherwise they won't come to yours.

Don't touch me; I'll die if you touch me.

Don't make everyone know about your sadness.

Give death announcements each time you move instead of giving announcements of the change of address. Send the same when you die.

I wish to declare with all earnestness that I do not want any religious ceremonies performed for me after my death. I do not believe in such ceremonies, and to submit to them, even as a matter of form, would be hypocrisy and an attempt to delude ourselves and others.

The trauma said, ‘Don’t write these poems.
Nobody wants to hear you cry about the grief inside your bones.

You should always go to other people funerals, or they wont go to yours.

Do not revive a grief I had forgotten.