Beautiful Funeral Poems to Help Farewell a Loved One
The loss of a loved one is a challenging and emotional time for those who are left behind. And when it comes to honouring someone who has passed, it can be hard to find the right words to say. Funeral poems can help you express your feelings while celebrating the memory of a loved one.
Examples of Funeral Poems and Readings
To help you in this difficult time, we’ve compiled a list of poems that can either be read at the funeral, or included in a card or order of service. They include:
- Religious funeral poems
- Mourning poems
- Happy funeral poems
- Memories funeral poems
- Short funeral poems
- Poems for Grandparents
- Poems for Dad
- Poems for Mothers
Religious Funeral Poems
Celebrate the life of a loved one with a religious funeral poem that honours their special relationship with God.
God Looked Around His Garden
By Melissa Shreve
God looked around his garden
And found an empty place
He then looked down upon the earth
And saw your tired face
He put his arms around you
And lifted you to rest.
God’s garden must be beautiful,
He always takes the best.
He knew that you were suffering
He knew you were in pain
He knew that you would never
Get well on earth again.
He saw the road was getting rough
And the hills were hard to climb.
So he closed your weary eyelids
And said, “Peace be thine”.
It broke our hearts to lose you
But you didn’t go alone.
For part of us went with you
The day God called you home.
—
God Saw You Getting Tired
By Frances and Kathleen Coelho
God saw you getting tired
And a cure was not to be
So he put his arms around you
And whispered,
“Come to Me”
With tearful eyes we watched you
And saw you pass away
And although we love you dearly
We could not make you stay.
A Golden heart stopped beating
Hard working hands at rest.
God broke our hearts to prove to us
He only takes the best.
—
Footprints in the Sand
Anonymous
One night I dreamed I was walking
Along the beach with the Lord,
Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.
In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand.
Sometimes there were two sets of footprints.
Other times there was only one.
This bothered me because I noticed
During the low periods of my life when I was
Suffering from anguish, sorrow or defeat,
I could see only one set of footprints.
So I said to the Lord, You promised me,
Lord, that if I followed you,
You would walk with me always.
But I noticed during the most trying periods
Of my life there has only been
One set of prints in the sand.
Why, when I needed you most,
Have you not been there for me?
The Lord replied,
The times when you have seen only one set of footprints
It was then that I carried you.
—
The Weaver
By Grant Colfax Tullar
“My life is but a weaving
Between my God and me.
I cannot choose the colors
He weaveth steadily.
Oft’ times He weaveth sorrow;
And I in foolish pride
Forget He sees the upper
And I the underside.
Not ’til the loom is silent
And the shuttles cease to fly
Will God unroll the canvas
And reveal the reason why.
The dark threads are as needful
In the weaver’s skillful hand
As the threads of gold and silver
In the pattern He has planned
He knows, He loves, He cares;
Nothing this truth can dim.
He gives the very best to those
Who leave the choice to Him.”
Mourning Poems
A death that leaves an impact reflects a life well-lived. Here are some mourning poems that can be read at a funeral to help you express the pain you feel at a loved one’s passing.
Funeral Blues
By W. H. Auden
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 wood;
For nothing now can ever come to any good.
—
Until We Meet Again (1)
By Zohaad Irfan
Those special memories of you
Will always bring a smile
If only i could have you back
Just for a while
Then we could sit and talk again
Just like we used to do
You always meant so very much
And always will do too
The fact that you’re no longer here
Will always cause me pain
But you’re forever in my heart
Until we meet again
—
Until We Meet Again (2)
Anonymous
Even in the darkest days
Since we’ve been apart,
Memories of the times we shared
Help to warm my heart.
Every day I miss the smile
That no one can replace,
But still it brings me comfort
in the sadness that I face.
Life is full of mysteries
That no one can explain.
But I know some day, somewhere
We will meet again.
Until we do, I’ll find the strength
To live through each new day,
Grateful for the happy years
Before you went away.
—
In Memory
Anonymous
It broke our hearts to lose you,
but you never went alone,
for a part of us went with you,
the day god took you home.
A million times we missed you,
A million times we cried,
If love could have saved you,
you never would have died.
To the grave you travel,
Our flowers placed with care,
No-one knows the heartache,
as we turn to leave you there.
If tears could build a stairway,
and memories could make a lane,
we would walk right up to heaven,
and bring you home again.
Happy funeral poems
Many people want their funeral to celebrate their life rather than mourn their death.
With a great emphasis on healing, happy funeral poems can help you remember the good times and encourage a more positive approach to the death of a loved one.
Weep Not For Me
By Constance Jenkins
Weep not for me though I have gone
Into that gentle night
Grieve if you will, but not for long
Upon my soul’s sweet flight
I am at peace, my soul’s at rest
There is no need for tears
For with your love I was so blessed
For all those many years
There is no pain, I suffer not
The fear is now all gone
Put now these things out of your thoughts
In your memory I live on
Remember not my fight for breath
Remember not the strife
Please do not dwell upon my death
But celebrate my life
—
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 glint on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you wake in the morning hush,
I am the swift, uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circling flight.
I am the soft starlight at night.
Do not stand at my grave and weep.
I am not there, I do not sleep.
(Do not stand at my grave and cry.
I am not there, I did not die!)
—
My Journey’s Just Begun
By Ellen Brenneman
Don’t think of me as gone away
My journey’s just begun
Life holds so many facets
This earth is but one
Just think of me as resting
From the sorrows and the tears
In a place of warmth and comfort
Where there are no days and years
Think of how I must be wishing
That you could know today
How nothing but your sadness
Can really go away
And think of me as living
In the hearts of those I touched
For nothing loved is ever lost
And I know I was loved so much
—
I’m Free
By M. Fair-Salters
Don’t grieve for me, for now I’m free,
I’m following the path God laid for me.
I took his hand when I heard his call,
I turned my back and left it all.
I could not stay another day,
To laugh, to love, to work, to play.
Tasks left undone must stay that way,
I’ve found that peace at the close of the day.
If my parting has left a void,
Then fill it with remembered joy.
A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss,
Ah yes, these things I too will miss.
Be not burdened with times of sorrow,
I wish you the sunshine of tomorrow.
My Life’s been full, I savoured much,
Good friends, good times, a loved one’s touch,
Perhaps my time seemed all too brief,
Don’t lengthen it now with undue grief.
Lift up your heart and share with me,
God wanted me now, He set me free.
Memories Funeral Poems
‘Memories’ funeral poems help you to celebrate the memory of a loved one and remember the good times you had together in life.
Remember Me
By Anthony Dowson
Speak of me as you have always done.
Remember the good times, laughter, and fun.
Share the happy memories we’ve made.
Do not let them wither or fade.
I’ll be with you in the summer’s sun
And when the winter’s chill has come.
I’ll be the voice that whispers in the breeze.
I’m peaceful now, put your mind at ease.
I’ve rested my eyes and gone to sleep,
But memories we’ve shared are yours to keep.
Sometimes our final days may be a test,
But remember me when I was at my best.
Although things may not be the same,
Don’t be afraid to use my name.
Let your sorrow last for just a while.
Comfort each other and try to smile.
I’ve lived a life filled with joy and fun.
Live on now, make me proud of what you’ll become.
—
Afterglow
by Helen Lowrie Marshall
“I’d like the memory of me
to be a happy one.
I’d like to leave an afterglow
of smiles when life is done.
I’d like to leave an echo
whispering softly down the ways,
Of happy times and laughing times
and bright and sunny days.
I’d like the tears of those who grieve,
to dry before the sun
of happy memories
that I leave when life is done.”
Short funeral poems
These short funeral poems are best used as a heartfelt addition to cards, emails and order of service pamphlets.
If I Should Go
By Joyce Grenfell
If I should go before the rest of you
Break not a flower nor inscribe a stone
Nor when I’m gone speak in a Sunday voice
But be the usual selves that I have known
Weep if you must
Parting is hell
But life goes on,
So sing as well.
—
Epitaph on a Friend
By Robert Burns
An honest man here lies at rest,
The friend of man, the friend of truth;
The friend of age, and guide of youth:
Few hearts like his, with virtue warm’d,
Few heads with knowledge so inform’d:
If there’s another world, he lives in bliss;
If there is none, he made the best of this.
—
Love Lives On
By Mary Alice Ramish
Those we love remain with us
for love itself lives on,
and cherished memories never fade
because a loved one’s gone.
Those we love can never be
more than a thought apart,
far as long as there is memory,
they’ll live on in the heart.
—
Love Shines Through
Anonymous
Like a shadow in the moonlight
Like the whisper of the seas
Like the echoes of a melody
Just beyond our reach
In the shadow of our sorrow
Past the whisper of goodbye
Love shines through eternity
A heartbeat from our eye
—
If I Should Go Tomorrow
Anonymous
If I should go tomorrow
It would never be goodbye,
For I have left my heart with you,
So don’t you ever cry.
The love that’s deep within me,
Shall reach you from the stars,
You’ll feel it from the heavens,
And it will heal the scars.
—
As Long As Hearts Remember
Anonymous
As long as hearts remember
As long as hearts still care
We do not part with those we love
They’re with us everywhere
Funeral poems for Grandparents
As such a consistent influence in their lives, grandchildren may find it particularly difficult to accept the loss of a grandparent. A funeral poem for nan or grandpa can help grandchildren express their feelings when they don’t know what to say.
These funeral poems can be modified to say farewell to a grandmother or a grandfather.
A Poem For Grandma
By Dick Underwood
Grandma, you were just a girl,
So many years ago.
You had your loves and had your dreams,
You watched us come and go.
You watched us make the same mistakes,
That you had made before,
But that just made you hold us tight,
And love us all the more.
We haven’t always thought about
The things that you have seen.
To us you’ve just been ‘Grandma’,
No thought of who you’ve been.
But we remember now in love,
Your life from start to end,
And we’re just glad we knew you,
As Grandma, and as Friend.
—
My Grandmother
By Victoria L. Payne
In my Rose Garden of memories
I see you standing there
An angel in disguise
Who taught me how to care
I long to hear your voice
for real not in my dreams
I am missing you so much these days
how empty my world seems
People say time heals all wounds
that someday the pain will subside
But Grandma I can tell you
I think they must have lied
The emptiness I am feeling now
is strong and I am weak
These days go by without you
so dreary and so bleak
In my Rose Garden of memories
I know you’ll always be
for though you’re gone
from this mortal world
In my heart you’ll always be
—
Goodbye, Grandad
By Sarah Harrison
Heaven has received another angel,
The night sky another star.
Your life has become a loving memory.
I know you will never be far.
I know you are watching over me
As my life goes on.
I will treasure the memories I have of you.
I can’t believe you’re gone.
You were a loving, caring granddad.
You were there for me a lot.
You will always hold a place in my heart,
A loving, treasured spot.
You were really one in a million,
A cut above the rest.
All who knew you would agree.
You simply were the best.
So, Granddad, I will say goodbye.
I love and miss you with all my heart,
But as long as I have my loving memories,
We will never be too far apart.
Funeral Poems for Dad
When it seems impossible to express the pain of losing a parent, these funeral poems for dad are a touching and heartfelt celebration of the life of your father.
These poems can help you express gratitude for the positive influence your dad has had on your life
Memories of Dad
Anonymous
I will take this special moment
To turn my thoughts to Dad
Thank him for the home he gave
For all the things we had.
We think about the fleeting years
Too quickly, gone for good
It seems like only yesterday
I’d go back if I could.
A time when Dad was always there,
No matter what the weather.
Always strong when things went wrong
He held our lives together.
He strived so hard from day to day
And never once complained.
With steady hands, he worked so hard
And kept the family name.
He taught us that hard work pays off,
You reap just what you sow.
He said that if you tend your crops,
Your field will overflow.
My life has been bountiful
He taught me how to give
In his firm and steadfast way
He taught me how to live.
Dad dwells among the angels now
He left us much too soon
He glides across a golden field
Above the harvest moon.
I see him in the summer rain,
He rides upon the wind
And when my path is beaten down
He picks me up again.
—
What Makes a Dad
Anonymous
God took the strength of a mountain & the majesty of a tree.
The warmth of a summer sun, the calm of a quiet sea.
The generous soul of nature & the comforting arm of night.
The wisdom of the ages and the power of the eagle’s flight,
The joy of a morning in spring & the faith of a mustard seed,
The patience of eternity & the depth of a family need,
Then God combined these qualities,
When there was nothing more to add,
He knew His masterpiece was complete,
And so, He called it … ‘DAD!’
—
Life Lessons
by Joanna Fuchs
You may have thought I didn’t see,
Or that I hadn’t heard,
Life lessons that you taught to me,
But I got every word.
Perhaps you thought I missed it all,
And that we’d grow apart,
But Dad, I picked up everything,
It’s written on my heart.
Without you, Dad, I wouldn’t be
The (woman)(man) I am today;
You built a strong foundation
No one can take away.
I’ve grown up with your values,
And I’m very glad I did;
So here’s to you, dear father,
From your forever grateful kid
Funeral poems for mothers
It can be hard to accept the loss of your mum. As such a constant and reliable source of support in your life, expressing your pain at her funeral can be difficult.
These funeral poems for mothers offer a beautiful final tribute to the woman who raised you.
My Mother Kept a Garden
Anonymous
My Mother kept a garden.
A garden of the heart;
She planted all the good things,
That gave my life its’ start.
She turned me to the sunshine,
And encouraged me to dream:
Fostering and nurturing
The seeds of self-esteem.
And when the winds and rains came,
She protected me enough;
But not too much, she knew I’d need
To stand up strong and tough.
Her constant good example,
Always taught me right from wrong;
Markers for my pathway
To last my whole life long.
I am my Mother’s garden,
I am her legacy.
And I hope today she feels the love,
Reflected back from me.
—
Mother’s Hands
By Marian Jones
Hands that rocked the cradle
From the moment of my birth,
Their tender touch remembered
By those still here on Earth.
Soft as silk those hands
That taught me how to pray,
Banishing childhood fears;
They soothed each one away.
When I grew much older
And troubles came my way,
Those hands caressing mine
Did more than words could say.
Mother’s hands were gentle,
They’re missed so very much,
I’d give the world to feel once more
Their warm and tender touch.
Those hands were full of comfort
Now they lie at rest,
But memories hold them close
To the ones they served the best.
Celebrating a Life
Celebrating the life of a loved one is an important stage of the grieving process.
During a funeral, it’s important that you be able to express your feelings while honouring the memory of those who have passed. Funeral poems can help bring friends and families together in times of loss, both to farewell a loved one and begin the process of healing.
