The Funeral

The first stanza of "The Funeral" establishes the setting of the poem. "Whoever comes to shroud me" indicates that the speaker is making arrangements for what should happen to his body after his death. He instructs the reader to be wary of a "subtle wreath of hair that crowns [his] arm." This alludes to a lock of hair that a woman has given him. Later on in the poem, he will refer to her as …showed first 75 words of 621 total…

…showed last 75 words of 621 total…the poem: “That since you would save none of me, I bury some of you.” The footnotes suggest that the word save was, in earlier printed texts, the word have, giving the line not only relevant context in an emotional relationship, but a sexual one. She has obviously rejected him in some way, either emotionally, sexually or both and he is so hurt, he feels as if he must take this rejection to the grave.