Funeral Poems

We bring you funeral poems, funeral verses which are the best, short, UK, USA, funny, sad, religious, Christian, non religious, humanist, popular, famous, irish, scottish, suitable funerals poems and verses comprising funeral poetry / prayers / sayings / quotes for the service or services, be that for the reading or readings, tribute or eulogy, speech, speeches and memorial poetry to say or read at the funeral ceremony or for a funeral, sympathy, bereavement card








She is Gone
(Read out at the Queen Mother's Funeral)

You can shed tears that she is gone
or you can smile because she has lived.

You can close your eyes and pray that she'll come back
or you can open your eyes and see all she's left.

Your heart can be empty because you can't see her
or you can be full of the love you shared.

You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday
or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.

You can remember her and only that she's gone
or you can cherish her memory and let it live on.

You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back
or you can do what she'd want: smile, open your eyes, love and go on.

David Harkins 1981
Reread the poem not as a loss through death poem but as a lost love poem which it was.
It was found as an 'Author Unknown' poem by The Queen who used it for the funeral of her mother. Through the interest that this generated the author and the story behind the poem emerged. It's a modern day fairy tale that could yet become the basis for a Disney movie. Here's the
Story behind She is Gone

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This next one is the classic comfort poem for inclusion in the Service of Thanksgiving for the Life of... or as a Reading

Miss me, but let me go

When I come to the end of the road
And the sun has set for me
I want no rites in a gloom filled room
Why cry for a soul set free

Miss me a little - but not too long
And not with your head bowed low
Remember the love that we once shared
Miss me - but let me go

For this is a journey that we must all take
And each must go alone
It's all a part of the Master's plan
A step on the road to home

When you are lonely, and sick of heart
Go to the friends we know
And bury your sorrows in doing good deeds
Miss me - but let me go

Anon
[Parts can be used again at the gathering / wake. This is a section of a personalised poem

(Fred), we're not gathered together in a gloom filled room
There's no heads bowed low for you
We're having a 'do' in the (Springwell Club)
Cos we know you'd want us to

You've taken the journey we all must take
We take comfort and we know
You're now reunited with (Mary)
We miss you... and we're letting you go]

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Funeral Poems
poetry verse #3

Legacy of Love

A wife, a mother, a grandma too,
This is the legacy we have from you.
You taught us love and how to fight,
You gave us strength, you gave us might.
A stronger person would be hard to find,
And in your heart, you were always kind.
You fought for us all in one way or another,
Not just as a wife not just as a mother.
For all of us you gave your best,
Now the time has come for you to rest.
So go in peace, you've earned your sleep,
Your love in our hearts, we'll eternally keep.

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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.

Mary Frye

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Funeral Poems
poetry verse #4

Death is nothing at all
I have only slipped away into the next room
I am I, and you are you.
Whatever we were to each other
That we still are.

Call me by my old familiar name
Speak to me in the easy way which you always used
Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow.
Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes
We enjoyed together.

Play, smile, think of me, pray for me,
Let my name be ever the household word that
It always was.

Let it be spoken without effort,
Without the trace of a shadow on it.
Life means all that it ever meant
It is the same as it ever was
There is absolutely unbroken continuity.

Why should I be out of mind because I am
Out of sight? I am but waiting for you
For an interval
Somewhere very near
Just around the corner .
All is well.

Canon Henry Scott Holland (1847-1918)

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Funeral Poems
poetry verse #5

(Another classic comforter)

A ship sails and I stand watching till she fades on the horizon and someone at my side says
She is gone.

Gone where? Gone from my sight, that is all. She is just as large now as when I last saw her.Her diminished size and total loss from my sight is in me, not in her.

And just at that moment, when someone at my side says she is gone, there are others who are watching her coming over their horizon and other voices take up a glad shout -There she comes!

That is what dying is.
An horizon and just the limit of our sight.

Lift us up O Lord, that we may see further.

Bishop Brent

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Funeral Poems
poetry verse #6

We've known lots of pleasure,
At times endured pain,
We've lived in the sunshine
And walked in the rain.

But now we're separated
And for a time apart,
But I am not alone-
You're forever in my heart.

Death always seems so sudden,
And it is always sure,
But what is oft' forgotten-
It is not without a cure.

There may be times you miss me,
I sort of hope you do,
But smile when you think of me,
For I'll be waiting for you.

Now there's many things for you to do,
And lots of ways to grow,
So get busy, be happy,and live your life,
Miss me, but let me go.

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Funeral Poems
poetry verse #7

Funeral Blues-
Made popular by the movie, “Four Weddings and a Funeral”

Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,
Silence the pianos and with muffled drum
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.

Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead
Scribbling on the sky the message He is Dead.
Put crepe bows round the white necks of the public doves,
Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.

He was my North, my South, my East and West,
My working week and my Sunday rest,
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;
I thought that love would last forever: I was wrong.

The stars are not wanted now; put out every one,
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun,
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the woods;
For nothing now can ever come to any good.

W.H. Auden

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Funeral Poems
poetry verse #8

I'm Still Here

Friend, please don't mourn for me
I'm still here, though you don't see.
I'm right by your side each night and day
And within your heart I long to stay.

My body is gone but I'm always near.
I'm everything you feel, see or hear.
My spirit is free, but I'll never depart
As long as you keep me alive in your heart.

I'll never wander out of your sight-
I'm the brightest star on a summer night.
I'll never be beyond your reach-
I'm the warm moist sand when you're at the beach.

I'm the colourful leaves when Autumn's around
And the pure white snow that blankets the ground.
I'm the beautiful flowers of which you're so fond,
The clear cool water in a quiet pond.

I'm the first bright blossom you'll see in the spring,
The first warm raindrop that April will bring.
I'm the first ray of light when the sun starts to shine,
And you'll see that the face in the moon is mine.

When you start thinking there's no one to love you,
You can talk to me through the Lord above you.
I'll whisper my answer through the leaves on the trees,
And you'll feel my presence in the soft summer breeze.

I'm the hot salty tears that flow when you weep
And the beautiful dreams that come while you sleep.
I'm the smile you see on a baby's face.
Just look for me, friend, I'm every place!

Author Unknown

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Funeral Poems
poetry verse #9

If tears could build a stairway,
And memories a lane,
I’d walk right up to heaven
And bring you home again.

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Epitaph on a child #10
Here, freed from pain, secure from misery, lies
A child, the darling of his parents’ eyes:
A gentler Lamb ne’er sported on the plain,
A fairer flower will never bloom again;
Now let him sleep in peace his night of death.
Thomas Gray (1716-1771)

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Here's a couple of other places you could visit for Funeral Poems. This first one has two lovely funeral poems...the famous Dash poem and Remember Me, both by Linda Ellis Two Beautiful Funeral Pieces
Joanna Fuchs writes some lovely stuff and is well worth a visit Sympathy/Memorial Poems

Funeral Poems Funeral Verses

Funeral poems, verses suitable for dad, granddad, grandad, mum, mother, children, grandmother, baby, nan, mothers, grandma, dads, grandads, father, friend, fathers, childrens, babies, grandmothers, grandfather, brother, friends, mums, children's, nans, childs

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