Read Jimmy Carter's beautiful poem to wife Rosalynn after pair shared 77 years of marriage

By CLAUDIA AORAHA

Published: | Updated:

They celebrated their 77th wedding anniversary in July 2023. Four months later Rosalynn passed away on November 19, dying peacefully with her family by her side.

Now the devoted pair are reunited again. 

The Carter Center shared a touching poem penned by former President Jimmy Carter to his beloved wife Rosalynn ahead of her hometown funeral a little more than a year ago. 

The couple's marriage was the longest in U.S. presidential history as they first met when Rosalynn was just a day old.

The touching verses encapsulate the former leader's long-standing devotion to his wife  - and have become a poignant reminder of their everlasting love following Jimmy Carter's death on Sunday, at the age of 100. 

They began dating in 1945, when Rosalynn was 17 and a friend of Carter's sister Ruth. 

Jimmy Carter penned a sweet poem to his beloved wife Rosalynn in 1995 which was shared ahead of her hometown funeral in 2023

Jimmy Carter penned a sweet poem to his beloved wife Rosalynn in 1995 which was shared ahead of her hometown funeral in 2023

Jimmy Carter died at 100 on Sunday, almost two years after announcing he would spend his final days in hospice care. (Pictured: Jimmy attending his late wife's funeral)

Jimmy Carter died at 100 on Sunday, almost two years after announcing he would spend his final days in hospice care. (Pictured: Jimmy attending his late wife's funeral)

The couple's marriage was the longest in U.S. presidential history and they first met when Rosalynn was just a day old

The couple's marriage was the longest in U.S. presidential history and they first met when Rosalynn was just a day old

The couple shared 77 years of marriage together, with their relationship standing the test of time, as well as the challenges of Navy deployments, a presidential campaign and Carter's subsequent time in office.

The couple welcomed four children and 25 grandchildren and great-grandchildren and remained utterly devoted to each other their whole lives.

The Carter Center released the poem the day after the former First Lady's memorial service in Georgia following her death at the age of 96.

Read the full poem, titled 'Rosalynn' below. 

Rosalynn by Jimmy Carter 

She'd smile, and birds would feel that they no longer

had to sing, or it may be I failed

to hear their song.

Within a crowd, I'd hope her glance might be

for me, but I knew that she was shy, and wished

to be alone.

I'd pay to sit behind her, blind to

what was on the screen, and watch the image flicker

upon her hair.

I'd glow when her diminished voice would clear

my muddled thoughts, like lightning flashing in

a gloomy sky.

The nothing in my soul with her aloof

was changed to foolish fullness when she came

to be with me.

With shyness gone and hair caressed with gray

her smile still makes the birds forget to sing

and me to hear their song.

Georgia