Poet & Author
Linda Ellis
Author of The Dash — the poem that has touched millions of lives around the world.
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Linda Ellis just wants to write and continue to inspire the world.
She knows it is her calling.
If her words have touched your life, please consider a small gift to keep the words flowing.
About Linda
The Poet Behind the Words
Linda Ellis wrote The Dash in 1996 after a moment of quiet reflection about what truly matters in a life well lived. The poem — which speaks to the dash between the years on a tombstone — became a worldwide phenomenon, shared at funerals, graduations, weddings, and corporate events across the globe.
What began as a personal meditation became a movement. Millions of people have read, shared, and been moved by Linda's words. The poem has been translated into dozens of languages and has appeared in books, sermons, eulogies, and commencement addresses on every continent.
Linda is also the author of The Dash Between the Dates and a sought-after keynote speaker who brings her message of intentional living to audiences around the world.
The Poem
The Dash
I read of a man who stood to speak
at the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on the tombstone
from the beginning… to the end.
He noted that first came the date of birth
and spoke of it with tears,
but said what mattered most of all
was the dash between those years…
Bring Linda's Message to Your Event
Linda speaks at corporate events, memorials, galas, churches, and more. Her message of living intentionally resonates with every audience.
Hire Linda to Speak