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1. Introduction to Poems of the Afterlife
Poetry has long been one of the most powerful ways people express the mystery of death, the soul, and what exists beyond earthly life. Long before modern near-death experience (NDE) research began, poets and visionaries were already describing encounters with light, spiritual awakening, divine love, heavenly realms, and the continuing journey of the human spirit after death. The poems collected here explore many of the same themes reported by NDErs: peace beyond fear, the presence of light, reunion with loved ones, spiritual transformation, and the realization that death is not an ending at all.
Some of these works were written by famous poets such as Emily Dickinson and Kahlil Gibran, whose writings continue to inspire readers around the world. Others come directly from individuals who personally experienced an NDE and later tried to put their extraordinary experiences into words. Several poems were inspired by dreams, visions, or moments of profound spiritual insight connected to death and the afterlife. Together, they offer emotional, symbolic, and deeply human reflections on life’s greatest mystery.
2. In the Near Light
The poem “In the Near Light” appears in Dr. Melvin Morse‘s book Parting Visions. The author, Karl Skala (1924-2006), one of Austria’s noted poets, had an NDE during World War II. He and his best friend were huddled together in a foxhole during an artillery bombardment. The shells hit closer and closer until one finally hit close to Skala’s friend and killed him. The poet felt his friend slump forward into his arms and go limp with death. Then a strange thing happened to Skala. He felt himself being drawn up with his friend, above their bodies and then above the battlefield. Skala could look down and see himself holding his friend. Then he looked up and saw a bright light and felt himself going toward it with his friend. Then he stopped and returned to his body. He was uninjured except for hearing loss from the artillery blast. After the war he wrote a poem about the incident. According to Dr. Morse, it is one of the most beautiful poems about a spiritual experience of this kind he has ever read.
In the Near Light
By Karl Skala
Would you really call this dying?
In the near light, but far away.
This light which our hope nurtures.
To the star, high above
everyone has traveled there in their mind
before your body, the mind, the spirit
belonged once to the stars
let this light shine deep in your heart, in your dreams
on this Earth.
Death is an awakening.
3. I Heard a Fly Buzz When I Died
Emily Dickenson (1830-1886) ranks as one of the best poets of all time. Her poetry and fame did not appear until after her death. Her poem, I Heard a Fly Buzz When I Died, describes an experience that uncannily resembles an NDE. It describes in poetic terms a recently deceased individual’s perceptions before and after death.
In the nineteenth century, people seldom died alone. Family and friends usually surrounded the dying, not out of morbid curiosity but in the hope that the dying might bring back a message from beyond.
“I heard a fly buzz when I died,” the poem begins, though we do not yet know the importance of such an observation. Why should such a meaningless image be her most profound memory? True to religious skeptic form, Emily describes a scene that is hardly divine. Instead of the appearance of a Being of Light there is appears a fly. The irony of it is suggestive of the subjective nature that is the NDE.
I Heard a Fly Buzz When I Died
By Emily Dickenson
I heard a Fly buzz — when I died
The Stillness in the Room
Was like the Stillness in Air –
Between the Heaves of Storm –
The Eyes around – had wrung them dry
And Breaths were gathering firm
For that last Onset – when the King
Be witnessed – in the Room
I willed my Keepsakes – Signed away
What portion of me be
Assignable – and then it was
There interposed a Fly
With Blue – uncertain – stumbling Buzz –
Between the light – and me –
And then the windows failed – and then
I could not see to see
4. The Prophet on Death
Kahlil Gibran (1883-1931) was a poet, philosopher, and an artist. His poem, On Death, comes from his work entitled The Prophet which is known and loved by innumerable people who find in them an expression of the deepest impulses of the human heart and mind. He was a man whose fame and influence spread far beyond the Near East. His poetry has been translated into more than twenty languages. The poem below is the segment of The Prophet devoted to death. In it, you will find some profound insight comparable only to those who have actually been through death’s door.
The Prophet on Death
By Kahlil Gibran
Then Almitra spoke, saying, “We would ask now of Death.”
And he said: “You would know the secret of death.
But how shall you find it unless you seek it in the heart of life?
The owl whose night-bound eyes are blind unto the day cannot unveil the mystery of life.
If you would indeed behold the spirit of death, open your heart wide unto the body of life.
For life and death are one, even as the river and the sea are one.
In the depth of your hopes and desires
lies your silent knowledge of the beyond;
And like seeds dreaming beneath the snow
your heart dreams of spring.
Trust the dreams, for in them is hidden the gate to eternity.
Your fear of death is but the trembling of the shepherd
when he stands before the king
whose hand is to be laid upon him in honor.
Is the shepherd not joyful beneath his trembling,
that he shall wear the mark of the king?
Yet is he not more mindful of his trembling?
For what is it to die but to stand
naked in the wind and to melt into the sun?
And what is it to cease breathing,
but to free the breath from its restless tides,
that it may rise and expand and seek God unencumbered?
Only when you drink from the river of silence
shall you indeed sing.
And when you have reached the mountain top,
then you shall begin to climb.
And when the earth shall claim your limbs,
then shall you truly dance.”
5. Love is God
Kevin Williams’ poem presents love as the very essence of God, truth, salvation, and eternal life. Using biblical language and symbolism, especially from the Gospel of John and 1 John, the poem portrays Jesus as the voice of divine love speaking directly to humanity. Repeated phrases such as “I am the Way,” “I am the Word,” and “Love is God” create a sermon-like rhythm that reinforces the poem’s spiritual message. A central theme is that the kingdom of heaven exists within each person. Rather than describing heaven as a distant place, the poem teaches that spiritual awakening happens through discovering divine love within oneself. Symbols such as light, the vine, the rock, and the lion and lamb connect the poem to traditional Christian imagery while emphasizing unity, guidance, sacrifice, and spiritual truth.
Love is God
By Kevin Williams
“The Kingdom of Heaven is near,” Jesus shouted.
“Where is this Kingdom of Heaven?” they doubted.
“It is not of this world,” he denied.
“Then show us the Father,” they replied.
“Your Father is Love from Heaven above.
Within you He lives in His Kingdom of Love.
Your Father has already appeared you see.
The one who speaks to you now is He.
“I am the Truth, and the Truth is Law.
The Law is Love, and Love is God.
I am your Father, and I am Love.
I appear as a Man and appear as a Dove.
“I am the Spirit, the Spirit of Love.
I am eternal Life, Light and Love.
The Father, Son and Spirit above
is the Mind, Body and Spirit of Love.
“I am the Love shining so bright.
The Light of the world, I am the Light.
I am your Shepherd. I’ll show you the way.
The way is Love. I am the Way.
“I am the words of Love you heard.
The word is Love. I am the Word.
Everyone who Loves is born of God.
No one enters Heaven except through Love.
“I am the Spirit of Love divine.
You are the branches. I am the vine.
I am your Savior, the great I AM.
I am the Rock on which you stand.
“I am the Lion and Lamb of God.
I sacrifice my Life to show you my Love.
Love is the Way, the Truth and the Life.
When you have Love, you will forever have Light.
“I am the Love that sets you free
when my Kingdom of Love rises in thee.
I am the Resurrection you will see
when you open your heart and follow me.”
(Reference: 1 John)
6. Candle in the Window
The following was dreamt by a dying woman in her hospital room:
“A lit candle suddenly appears on her window sill. The candle goes out. A terrifying, suffocating blackness envelopes everything. Then, the candle relights but on the other side of the closed window.”
The woman died shortly after relating this dream to a nurse. Tom Harpur (1929-2017), the author of the book and documentary, Life After Death discovered this true account while researching his book on NDEs. Here is what he has to say about it:
“What did the dream mean? It must have been significant because, after all, this was the last dream they dying woman ever had – the final manifestation of her unconscious mind in this world. According to the celebrated psychiatrist and dream analyst Dr. Marie Louise Von Franz and based on her analysis of over 10,000 dreams of the dying, the meaning being communicated is that the light of the individual, one of the common metaphors for life that we’ve heard so often, goes out at death but is miraculously renewed on the other side. In other words, the spirit seems to live on. This dream then illustrates perfectly a profound insight of the great psychoanalyst and mentor of Dr. Von Franz, Dr. Carl Jung who has said ‘The unconscious psyche believes in a life after death.’ According to Jung, dream symbols which exist in the very depths of the soul, behave as if the psychic life of the individual will continue. In Dr. Von Franz’ words, “These symbols depict the end of bodily life and the explicit continuation of psychic life after death. In other words, our last dreams prepare us for death.'”
The following poem was written by Kevin R. Carr from his book All Over The Road and contains the kind of symbology that identifies our lives as a candle that rests on one side of a window.
Candle in the Window
by Kevin R. Carr
A candle in a window
Shaping shadows in the night
Illuminating wonders
At the lonely edge of sight
A beacon for an angel
Lost and looking for a light
A candle burning lower
Seeming very small and slight
Dancing softly in a draft
Almost trembling with fright
Slowly dying on a sill
Clearly giving up the fight
A candle in a window
Just a flicker in the night
Angel notices at last
Finding solace at the sight
And evermore a candle
Is restored again to light
7. Calling All Angels
Eliza Gilkyson’s poem and song Calling All Angels is a spiritual plea for help, healing, and reconnection with the divine. The repeated line “We are fallen, lost in the garden” echoes the biblical Garden of Eden and suggests that humanity has become spiritually separated through the misuse of free will. The poem portrays people as confused, suffering, and disconnected from their true spiritual nature. Gilkyson combines religious imagery with cosmic language such as “Star Sea Command” and “out on patrol,” giving the poem a universal, almost science-fiction feeling. Humanity is described as “spinning out of control,” symbolizing chaos and moral decline. The speaker longs for liberation from earthly suffering and wants to return “Home,” representing spiritual peace and reunion with divine love.
The repeated cries of “Calling All Angels” create urgency and hope, expressing humanity’s desire for guidance, redemption, and awakening despite its fallen condition.
Calling All Angels
By Eliza Gilkensen
Calling all angels, put down your disguise,
Unveil your hearts, wipe the sleep from your eyes.
We are fallen, lost in the garden.
Calling all angels, this is Star Sea Command.
We’ve misused our free will, and we’ve messed with the Plan.
We are fallen, lost in the garden.
Fallen, like gold leaves in autumn.
Fallen, with hardly a sound.
Sorrow and sickness is upon us.
The darkness is pulling us down.
Won’t you save us?
Calling all angels, we’re sad and alone.
We wandered too far, now it’s time to come Home.
We are fallen, lost in the garden.
Separation has bonded me with gravity.
Hesitation has robbed me of my throne.
Liberation is my soul’s destiny.
My heart wants to fly away Home.
I want to play with the ages,
Make the changes, like the angels.
Calling all angels, if you’re out on patrol,
We’re armed and we’re dangerous,
Spinning out of control.
We are fallen, lost in the garden,
Lost in the heavens.
Calling all angels!
Calling all angels!
Calling all angels!
8. Heaven Must Wait
Dr. Audrey Craft Davis is the author of Metaphysical Techniques That Really Work. Dr. Davis was in intensive care for eight days with e-coli bacteria working its way throughout her body. According to her: “Life is spirit, life is energy and cannot be destroyed. We as humans cannot die. We can only transform into something far greater. The status we call death does not exist.” From her experience, she affirms there is no death: only heavenly ecstasy, freedom, complete exultation and joy beyond anything one can imagine. About her NDE she states: “As I moved effortlessly upward, I beheld a great light which became larger and larger until it obscured everything else. As I was drawn into it, I found there was nothing but light. It was as if I were nothing, yet I was part of everything that is. I remember thinking, ‘So, I have returned to the Godhead from which I came.'” According to Audrey, it is not easy to live on Earth after having such a powerful experience. She fought from having to return and when she did, she suffered terribly for three months afterward.
Heaven Must Wait
By Dr. Audrey Craft Davis
I died and went to heaven
But I saw no streets of gold.
No angels with fluttering wings.
It was not like I’d been told.
But joy unspeakable and ecstasy divine.
No thought nor worry of those left behind.
Oh, let me stay in this splendor, please.
I was light as a feather
Tossed on the breeze.
He sent me back.
His message was clear:
Time will pass swiftly with those you hold dear.
9. The Valley of Peace
The following poem is from Dr. Kenneth Ring‘s book Life At Death by an anonymous NDEr. According to Dr. Ring, this poem relates the feeling, tone, and imagery encountered by many near-death survivors who have deep experiences to relate.
The Valley of Peace
By An Anonymous NDEr
One summer’s night,
I was totally free.
High up in the room,
Looking down at me.
I went through a tunnel,
At a very fast speed.
I knew not what was happening,
But knew I’d soon be freed.
Then thru a door-like eternity,
Into a valley of peace,
Where music played God’s tune to me,
And made my fear release.
Colors bright, dancing lights,
Such a sight to see.
A figure is coming into view,
Oh, God, it’s my grandfather talking to me.
Your time has not come yet,
Your family needs you still,
Enjoy your life to the fullest
I love you and always will.
I’ve had the chance to see a man
I did not even know.
I had the chance to stay with him
But decided I had to go.
It was so good to be free of pain,
It felt good to be so free.
The Land I saw so beautiful,
Death no longer frightens me.
10. Thank you, Friends
Derry Bresee is a grandmother and an RN. Her near fatal car accident which resulted in her NDE happened because her youngest son, who had just gotten his license the day of her accident, was driving home from the DMV in her car, with her as a passenger. He pulled out illegally in front of a gravel truck that couldn’t stop in time. She now thanks her son for this accident because the results has blessed her life, as she said in describing her life since her NDE, “Prayer is a tangible force, a power for good here on this Earth! Many people ask me what was the first thing I thought or felt when I came out of my coma, about 3 weeks after the accident. I could feel Christ’s love and compassion for me, and I believe the prayers of many for me, made him tune into me personally, and led to my incredible experience with Christ in that heavenly garden. I now no longer hope that there is a heaven and that Christ’s life experience and atonement are real, Now I know! Just like I know that I gave birth to all five of my children and tangibly held them in my arms. My testimony of Christ burns within me, now when I think of him, I have a visual memory of him looking at me there in that heavenly garden. I now have the time to focus on spiritual things daily as I can no longer work as an nurse. I thank God I’m able to communicate with others, instead of being severely brain injured unable to communicate as was expected. All the doctors say my recovery to the extent I function now is a miracle!”
Thank you, Friends
By Derry Bresee
I’m in a deep fog,
in a beautiful garden,
walking and talking to the Lord.
I told him I wanted to stay on this earth,
finish my earthly probation.
I told him I believed I was strong enough
to face the adversities and temptations
that awaited me, with his help.
Jesus promised me that I’d never be alone,
his spirit would always be with me,
strengthening me, giving me courage.
Jesus told me he’d send help
from his servants who listen to his spirit.
Jesus told me that he had compassion for me,
that he loved me,
that he knew I’d come back to him,
and that he’d give me the help to do so.
Buoyed up by his promises,
and believing him,
I came back to this world.
I came out of my coma,
against all odds,
and I began to fight!
Jesus kept his promises.
I’ve had his spirit with me,
and all the help I need
from his servants who listen,
You!
Thank you for being the Lord’s servants,
for keeping yourselves open to his spirit.
I know the promises I made to the Lord,
and his promises to me will happen,
with his help.
You are the Lord’s strength, his help,
and he is yours.
What a beautiful friendship!
Thank you, Friends!
11. Near-Death Experience Poem
Norah Tunney’s Near-Death Experience Poem powerfully captures the sudden shock and emotional aftermath of an NDE. The poem begins with ordinary life abruptly turning into medical crisis, emphasizing how quickly life can change. Although the speaker experiences darkness, disorientation, and separation from the body, there is an unexpected sense of peace rather than fear, reflecting a common theme in many NDE accounts.
The repeated line “you are alive!!” expresses both joy and disbelief at surviving. The poem also explores the lasting psychological impact of such experiences, suggesting survivors may feel permanently changed or disconnected from ordinary reality. The final image, “a little Stardust in your hair,” symbolizes the lingering spiritual transformation left behind by the experience. Overall, the poem combines physical realism and spiritual imagery to show how an NDE can profoundly change a person’s view of life and existence.
Near-Death Experience Poem
By Norah Tunney
You never know
what’s around the corner,
one minute you’re up and running,
next your speech is slurred,
your face is drooping to one side,
some part of your anatomy is exploding inside,
then in a flash
your world goes black,
you cant find your body,
you cant find yourself,
for some strange reason
you’re not afraid?
you feel like moonlight
on a sparkling wave,
now your chest is pounding,
you’re laughing and crying
all in one breath-
you are alive! !
you are alive! !
God!
how many years ago was that?
and still you wake up
wondering how the hell you’re walking around on two legs?
you actually can become quite insane,
(they could call the men in the white coats any day)
you would not care-
you are alive and breathing air
and there is still a little Stardust in your hair.
12. I Have Seen Heaven With My Own Two Eyes
Michael Thomas’ poem I Have Seen Heaven With My Own Two Eyes describes heaven as a real spiritual realm revealed through an NDE. The speaker presents himself as a witness to divine truth, emphasizing that heaven can be temporarily experienced before death through God’s grace.
The poem uses imaginative, dreamlike imagery similar to Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland to show that spiritual reality operates differently from earthly logic. Symbols such as the growing Tree, the “Word of God,” and the “Golden House Of Self Worth” represent faith, divine creation, healing, and humanity’s value in God’s eyes.
I Have Seen Heaven With My Own Two Eyes
By Michael Thomas
I have seen Heaven with my own two eyes,
it is a place where no one supposedly sees until the day he or she dies.
I was in a reality where no man’s feet, except a few, have ever shod,
and I was given this gift through a physical dispensation from God.
Just like in ‘Alice In Wonderland’ there are rivers and brooks,
and books are not made from trees, but rather trees are made from books.
When the Word of God into the ground is sown,
a Tree springs up to the height of God’s Throne.
And when we try and reach out with our hands unto that sown ‘Word’,
our prayers on this side of the veil are being mysteriously heard.
A ‘Golden House Of Self Worth’ is being mysteriously built with our names,
it will help take away all of our tears, our guilts, and all of our pains.
We cannot get out of this world alive,
just know that God’s Holy Spirit is with us, and it is by our sides.
13. Conclusion
More afterlife-related poems can be found here.
The poems and reflections gathered here reveal how deeply the mystery of death and the possibility of life beyond death have inspired both poets and NDErs alike. Although each writer approaches the subject differently, common themes appear again and again: light overcoming darkness, love transcending fear, spiritual awakening, reunion, transformation, and the continuing journey of the soul. These works suggest that death is not an ending, but a transition into a greater reality.
Many of these poems also reflect themes commonly reported in NDEs – peace beyond earthly suffering, encounters with divine love, expanded awareness, and the realization that human life carries deeper spiritual meaning. Some poems offer comfort and hope, while others explore uncertainty, longing, or humanity’s search for guidance and purpose. Together, they remind readers that poetry can express truths and emotions that ordinary language often cannot fully capture.
Ultimately, these poems invite readers not only to think about death, but also to reflect more deeply on life itself – on love, compassion, spiritual growth, and the reality that the human spirit continues beyond the physical world.
