"taken on the bier" pretty much means "carried to his grave"
http://www.answers.com/bier
Writeacher,I have a question on the sonnet I rephrased yesterday. I hope you can check it.
"And summer's green all girded up in sheaves,
Borne on the bier with white and bristly beard..."
He sees the summer's crops tied (up is possible) in bales and taken to the barn as if the harvested summer were an old white-bearded man being carried to his grave.
I left out.. and taken on the bier??
1 answer