Requiescat is essentially an elegy written in the memory of Wilde's sister. The poem has five stanzas, each a quatrain, and the rhyme scheme of the poem is abab.
The central theme of the poem is death. It is essentially a narrative of the poet's struggle with the death of his sister. There is a certain emotional arc that is formed in this poem, with the poem fluctuating from a melancholic to happy tone. The poet talks about the life of his sister that is buried under the ground, where "the daisies grow". Her golden hair are now filled with rust as she is under the ground. The poet mourns for his sister, who was once fair but has now "fallen to dust."
The poem goes on to poetically describe his sister, who was "white as snow". The poet says that she innocently grew a woman. The poet now comes back to the present and says that the coffin lies heavy on her. He feels all alone while she is at rest. He also contemplates the nature of death, saying that she is at peace, and cannot hear his lamentation, while his own life has been buried with her.
