Alfred Lord Tennyson wrote "Crossing the Bar" in 1889, just years before he died. This poem describes his uncomplaining attitude toward death. Even though he wrote other poems after this, he requested that "Crossing the Bar" appear as the last poem in all collections of his work. This poem consists of four quatrain stanzas with rhyme pattern ABAB. The first and third lines of each stanza are always a couple of beats longer than the second …showed first 75 words of 557 total…

…showed last 75 words of 557 total…this poem was written about his death, he wants there to “be no sadness of farewell.” He wishes his readers to have the same attitude towards death as he does. He understands that it is a part of life. He perceives death as just another part of the journey. Tennyson does not see “crossing the bar” as the end, but as hope that he will get the chance to see his “pilot” face to face.