Funeral Poems & Verses

To the living, I am gone, 
To the sorrowful, I will never return, 
To the angry, I was cheated, 
But to the happy, I am at peace,
And to the faithful, I have never left.

I cannot speak, but I can listen. 
I cannot be seen, but I can be heard. 
So as you stand upon a shore gazing at a beautiful sea, 
As you look upon a flower and admire its simplicity, 
Remember me.

Remember me in your heart: 
Your thoughts, and your memories, 
Of the times we loved, 
The times we cried, 
The times we fought, 
The times we laughed. 
For if you always think of me, I will never have gone.

Margaret Mead

Don’t cry for me now I have died, for I’m still here I’m by your side,
My body’s gone but my soul is here, please don’t shed another tear,
I am still here I’m all around, only my body lies in the ground.
I am the snowflake that kisses your nose,
I am the frost, that nips your toes.
I am the sun, bringing you light,
I am the star, shining so bright.
I am the rain, refreshing the earth,
I am the laughter, I am the mirth.
I am the bird, up in the sky,
I am the cloud, that’s drifting by.
I am the thoughts, inside your head,
While I’m still there, I can’t be dead.

Anon

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’s 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

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 for long
And not with your head bowed low
Remember the love that once we shared
Miss me, but let me go. 

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

When you are lonely and sick at heart
Go to the friends we know.
Laugh at all the things we used to do
Miss me, but let me go.

Christina Rossetti

Tear drops, slow and steady, The pain so real and true,
God took another angel, And that angel, dear, was you.

Angel wings, upon the clouds, Your body softly sleeps,
Hush now little angel, No more tears you have to weep.

Little prayers are sent to you, The short life you led;
Your family will never forget you, So rest your little head.

I know God will look after you, Now you are truly alive,
Your spirit soars beyond the moon, Your legacy will survive.

You’re beautiful, you’re endless, Now stretch your wings and fly,
You’re loved by so many, It will never be goodbye.

Close your pretty eyes, No more tears, just go and rest,
Let your soul lie peacefully, We know you did your best.

Anon

God saw you getting tired
And a cure was not to be
So He put His arms around you
And whispered ‘Come with Me.’

With tearful eyes
We watched you suffer
And saw you fade away,
Although we loved you dearly
We could not make you stay.

A golden heart stopped beating,
Hard working hands at rest,
God broke our hearts to prove
He only takes the best.

It’s lonesome here without you,
We miss you more each day,
Life doesn’t seem the same
Since you’ve gone away.

When days are sad and lonely
And everything goes wrong,
We seem to hear you whisper
‘Cheer up and carry on.’

Each time we see your picture,
You seem to smile and say
‘Don’t cry, I’m in God’s keeping
We’ll meet again someday.’

You never said ‘I’m leaving’,
You never said goodbye,
You were gone before we knew it,
And only God knew why.

A million times we needed you,
A million times we cried,
If love alone could have saved you,
You never would have died.

In life we loved you dearly,
In death we love you still ,
In our hearts you hold a place,
That no one could ever fill.

It broke our hearts to lose you,
But you didn’t go alone,
For part of us went with you,
The day God took you home.

Rhonda Braswell

Don’t think of her/him as gone away
Her/His journey’s just begun,
Life holds so many facets
This earth is only one.

Just think of her/him as resting
From the sorrows and the tears
In a place of warmth and comfort
Where there are no days and years.

Think how she/he must be wishing
That we could know today
How nothing but our sadness
Can really pass away.

And think of her/him as living
In the hearts of those she/he touched
For nothing loved is ever lost
And she/he was loved so much.

Anon

Not, how did they die, but how did they live?
Not, what did they gain, but what did they give?
These are the units to measure the worth
Of a person as a person, regardless of birth.

Not, what was their church, nor what was their creed?
But had they befriended those really in need?
Were they ever ready, with a word of good cheer,
To bring back a smile, to banish a tear?

Not, what did the sketch in the newspaper say,
But how many were sorry when they passed away?

Anon

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.

Anon

Death is nothing at all,
I have only slipped into the next room
I am I and you are you
Whatever we were to each other, that we are still.
Call me by my old familiar name,

Speak to me in the easy way which you always used
Put no difference in your tone,
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 effect, without the trace of shadow on it.
Life means all that it ever meant.
It is the same as it ever was, there is unbroken continuity.
Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight?

I am waiting for you, for an interval, somewhere very near,
Just around the corner.
All is well.

Henry Scott Holland

When I am gone, release me, let me go.
I have so many things to see and do,
You mustn’t tie yourself to me with too many tears,
But be thankful we had so many good years.

I gave you my love, and you can only guess
How much you’ve given me in happiness.
I thank you for the love that you have shown,
But now it is time I travelled on alone.

So grieve for me a while, if grieve you must,
Then let your grief be comforted by trust.
It is only for a while that we must part,
So treasure the memories within your heart.

I won’t be far away for life goes on.
And if you need me, call and I will come.

Though you can’t see or touch me, I will be near.
And if you listen with your heart, you’ll hear,
All my love around you soft and clear.

And then, when you come this way alone,
I’ll greet you with a smile and a ‘Welcome Home’.

Anon