Where The Poets Go To Die

"Where The Poets Go To Die"

Poem by Ben Smith

Walking up and down again

Across the field where the dead poets lay

The names of whom are forgotten 

Yet their words live on every day

I tell people my feelings and thoughts

In hopes they remember the person speaking rather than the words of which are being spoken

I hope to never die as one of these poets

My name dug into the ground where my body lay.

"Where The Poets Go To Die" is a poem written to convey a message of the names of whom are forgotten. Throughout history many great writers have died and their names have been forgotten yet their works live on. One major inspiration for writing this was from "The Names" By Billy Collins, which describes the names of many people who passed during 9/11 whose names were forgotten. "Where The Poets Go To Die" expresses the natural fear of being forgotten, a fear that I too possess.

B. Smith

26 November 2025