The Dash Poem by Linda Ellis

I read of a man who stood to speak at the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on the tombstone from the beginning to the end.

He noted first came the date of the birth and spoke the following date with tears.
But he said what mattered most of all was the dash between the years.

For that dash represents all the time that they spent life on Earth.
And now only those who loved them know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not how much we own, the cars, the house, the cash.
What matters is how we live and love, and how we spend our dash.

So, think about this long and hard. Are there things you’d like to change?
For you never know how much time is left that can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough to consider what’s true and real,

and always try to understand the way other people feel.

Be less quick to anger and show appreciation more,
and love the people in our lives like we’ve never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect and more often wear a smile,
remembering that this special dash might only last a little while.

So, when your eulogy is being read with your life’s actions to rehash,
would you be proud of the things they say about how you spent your dash?

A Summary of The Dash

  The dash on any grave represents life itself, the life we spend on this planet. The dash represents all our highs and lows, all the hellos and goodbyes, and every moment we spend here while we're still alive. But most importantly, the dash represents the impact we have had on the people around us.

 
The question is, are you thankful about how you spent your dash thus far ____?

What can you do to improve your dash to make life better for_______________?

  This poem is a valuable piece that is worthy to ponder over while we still are still able to. The poem’s “awakening” message offers the reader an opportunity to question their priorities and establish new perspectives. While this poem offers a deeper insight into a person’s life, it also uses symbolism as its main literary device. In this poem, symbolism is used in order to emphasize the poem’s focal points. For instance, readers are invited to question their lives as the poem says, “For that dash represents all the time that she spent alive on earth and now only those who loved her know what that little line is worth”. This particular line invokes the reader to ask themselves what their “little line” is.

Through this poem, readers are encouraged to have a better attitude towards others as it says “be less quick to anger and show appreciation more and love the people in our lives like we’ve never loved before… treat each other with respect”.  Furthermore, the poem appeals to the reader’s moral compass by emphasizing that people should live life loving one another, and not let anger or pride cloud their decisions. Readers are given a new perspective on the importance of expressing their love and appreciation towards others. For example, many people grieve and feel regret when their loved ones die because they cannot shake off the feeling of “I should have told them” or “I could have done more”. For this reason, readers are encouraged to smile, to love, to respect, and to live a joyous life. In addition, readers are persuaded to take a new approach to life by “remembering that this special dash might only last a little while.”

Are there things in your life you’d like to change? ____

What would you like for your loved ones to say about your life (your dash)?_________