What do you think of lines of poetry for book titles?

So, I’m still struggling with possible titles for the TENAI trilogy.

By “struggling,” I mean, this is just impossible and frustrating. No wonder everybody gives up and uses the character’s name as the title, or names the book “XYZ’s DAUGHTER,” or whatever. I swear, those random title generators are starting to look like a pretty good idea.

For fun, I paused to actually use the random title generator linked above. “I’ve written a book,” I tell the generator. “Give me a title.”

SWORD’S MASK.

Well, close! There’s a sword! Otherwise, nope. Let me try again:

THE WAR TEMPLE

Ha, that is so far off base, it’s funny. Okay, I clicked on the random title generator a dozen times — it’s kind of fun to see what pops up — but obviously this sort of thing is entirely useless.

So, questions:

A) Is it okay to use lines from real poems as the titles of fantasy novels?

B) Is it okay to use Latin words and phrases as the titles of fantasy novels?

Here is what I’m thinking of so far:

Tenai Book 1 — the prelude —

MemoriaeToo Long for Those Who Grieve — that’s from “Time Is” by Henry van DykeLast Year’s Leaves are Smoke — that’s from “Time Does Not Bring Relief” by Edna St Vincint Millay

Tenai Book 2 — the first half of the main story —

In TenebrisThe Memory of Finished Years — that is from “Echoes” by Christina Rosetti

Tenai Book 3 — the second half of the main story —

Lux AeternaHow Dark and Bright — Houseman’s “Easter Hymn”

Probably the above is all hopeless and I should start over. Possibly with random title generators.

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In struggling with ideas for titles, I stumbled across this poem, which I like and thought I’d share:

Do Not Stand At My Grave And Weep by Mary Elizabeth Frye

Do not stand at my grave and weep
I am not there. I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond glints on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning’s hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry;
I am not there. I did not die.

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