“Walk With Me Now”: Thich Nhat Hanh on Death, Presence, and Interbeing
A profound poem by Thich Nhat Hanh on death, loss, and presence beyond separation. A reflection on grief and interbeing, shared in honor of his life and teachings.
DEATH AND GRIEFMINDFULNESS
Thich Nhat Hanh—Zen master, poet, and global teacher of engaged Buddhism—passed away on January 22, 2022, at the age of 95. Even in death, his teachings remain vividly alive, gently guiding us to see beyond separation.
The poem below speaks directly to the heart of grief and impermanence. Rather than denying death, it invites us to enter more deeply into the present moment, where connection continues—through breath, tears, memory, and the earth beneath our feet.
This is not a poem of farewell. It is a poem of return. In it, we are reminded that love does not end with death, that presence is not limited by a body, and that grief, when fully felt, can become a form of communion.
Read these words as a meditation on dying—not as an end, but as a continuation. A thinning of the veil. A soft doorway into oneness.
Oneness
By Thich Nhat Hanh
“The moment I die,
I will try to come back to you
as quickly as possible.
I promise it will not take long.
Isn’t it true
I am already with you,
as I die each moment?
I come back to you
in every moment.
Just look,
feel my presence.
If you want to cry,
please cry.
And know
that I will cry with you.
The tears you shed
will heal us both.
Your tears are mine.
The earth I tread this morning
transcends history.
Spring and Winter are both present in the moment.
The young leaf and the dead leaf are really one.
My feet touch deathlessness,
and my feet are yours.
Walk with me now.
Let us enter the dimension of oneness
and see the cherry tree blossom in Winter.
Why should we talk about death?
I don’t need to die
