The fly in the poem “Dying” symbolizes the death and decay of corpses. The poet portrays a romantic view of death at the beginning of the poem. She mentions grieving family members, and her tone reflects the satisfaction of fulfilling her final responsibilities, such as willing away her earthly possessions. But this peaceful tone is shattered by the buzzing of a fly. The poet says that fly came between her and “the light.” The poet uses the image of a fly, which is associated with decay and impurity, to reflect her uncertainty about the aftermath of death.