The theme of this poem is that the dead are almost completely eliminated from the mind of the living, and that death outlasts any form of love or hate. In essence, death leads people to be gone and forgotten. Some examples of this theme are when Hardy says in the last stanza "I am sorry, but I quite forgot it was your resting-place." This embodies the theme of how people are forgotten after they are dead. Another example was when Hardy said, "She thought you no more worth her hate, And cares not where you lie." This shows that all emotions towards one are also forgotten when they die.
Credits:
Created with images by sman_5 - "central cemetery vienna grave"